Minister welcomes blacklisting of 40 contractors as part of reforms

Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson has welcomed the blacklisting of 40 contractors since the start of his term in July 2024.

In a statement on Sunday, the minister indicated that over the past year, his department has fast-tracked the blacklisting of errant contractors after the department had only blacklisted one contractor in more than 20 years.

Macpherson said in light of the previous track record, this is a dramatic turnaround since 2002, with the minister saying the move by the Construction Industry Development Board (CID) delivers on his promise to act against non-performance and corruption.

He said his department was refining its blacklisting processes to act faster and recover public funds as part of broader reforms to clean up the Department to ensure it supports job-creating economic growth.

Macpherson, who took over the department following last year's general elections, said the blacklisting sends a clear signal that the Department is serious about acting against non-performance, adding that this means that these corrupt contractors are now prohibited from bidding for tenders or being awarded work by the department.

“The move to blacklist these non-performing contractors is exactly what we promised South Africans when I took office - that those who underperform or engage in corruption will be held accountable and removed from the system.

“The CIDB’s action to blacklist these contractors means we have put our words into action and sent a clear message: the days of impunity are over,” Macpherson said.

He said this stands in stark contrast to the single company that was blacklisted previously since 2002, stating: "That situation was completely unacceptable in an environment where construction projects remained incomplete or poorly built across the country. It undermined trust in the State’s ability to act decisively."

The minister added that over the past year, he has worked tirelessly to overcome corruption and strengthen the department's capacity, resulting in the filling of vacant posts.

"We have worked hard to strengthen the department by filling key vacancies, introducing new accountability mechanisms, and tightening our procurement processes. These 40 blacklistings are proof that our reforms are working--but we are not done yet. We are expediting our work to clean up the department and its entities to ensure that we can play a key role in building a better country for all South Africans,” he said.

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za