Learners at Lakeside Primary School learners in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, continue to be deprived of a conducive learning environment due to the shocking failure of the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) and the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development (GDID) to complete the almost three-year delay in upgrades at the school. The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng demands accountability for the wasted upgrade funds, clear completion timelines, and measures to curb the criminal actions of business forums that have stalled this project.
The school’s upgrade project began in 2021 with a budget of over R40 million and was supposed to be completed by December 2022, but remains incomplete. The first contractor left in November 2022, and a second contractor appointed in February 2024 withdrew due to intimidation from local business forums. A third contractor was hired with an additional R3.7 million budget, aiming for a December 2024 completion, but that deadline was also missed. Currently, the project is only 75% complete, with no confirmed timelines or contractor to finish the work.
This startling information was disclosed by a GDE official during a presentation to the Gauteng Education Oversight Committee.
Premier Panyaza Lesufi and MEC Matome Chiloane have consistently expressed their commitment to improving school infrastructure. However, the findings from the GDE presentation and the DA’s oversight inspection of Lakeside Primary School tell a different story. The completed work was of substandard quality, with issues such as exposed gas pipes, an unfinished stormwater system, and incomplete classrooms all noted. This raises an important question: Where did all the allocated funds go?
See photos here, here, here and here.
This is a gross failure of project management and oversight by the Premier Lesufi-led government, which continues to award tenders to inadequately vetted contractors who consistently fail to deliver the necessary upgrades despite being paid millions of rands. This negligence is not only a disservice to learners but also a disheartening betrayal by a government that has shown a lack of resolve in confronting gangs posing as business forums.
The DA will table questions to GDE MEC Chiloane and DID MEC Jacob Mamabolo to ascertain who will complete this project and by when. We will also seek clarity on the steps taken to recoup the money from the non-performing contractors. The DA will engage Premier Lesufi to ensure police are deployed to prevent any criminal elements of disruptions at the construction site.
A DA-led government would ensure strict accountability on all school upgrades and maintenance, strict timelines for project completion, and immediate intervention where learner safety hazards are reported. We would also take strong legal action against entities hell-bent on disrupting projects for financial gain.
The DA will continue to hold these departments accountable until every learner across Gauteng has access to a safe and dignified learning environment.