National infrastructure maintenance backlog rises 9% from last year to R30b
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South Africa’s infrastructure maintenance backlog has surged to R30 billion in 2025, up from R28 billion in 2024, according to Dean Macpherson, Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure. This figure, tied to the Department’s Property Management Trading Entity (PMTE), reflects the cost of essential repairs across over 80,000 government facilities, including police stations, hospitals, and correctional centres.
The maintenance backlog is approximately R30 billion across 56,000 properties for various departments. The Department of Defence now has 24,260 buildings requiring R4.1bn for refurbishment alone. SAPS has 13,183 buildings with an estimated refurbishment cost of R8.8 billion. Correctional Services has 12,282 buildings with an estimated refurbishment cost of R8.4 billion.
Chronic underfunding, mismanagement, and corruption have driven the escalation, with current maintenance budgets of R1.5 billion annually insufficient to clear the backlog within two decades. The broader infrastructure investment gap, estimated at R4.8 trillion by the 2023 National Infrastructure Plan, underscores the scale of the challenge, compounded by R2.9 billion in losses from delayed projects over recent years, partly due to criminal disruptions.
The Government of National Unity has prioritized infrastructure reform. Infrastructure South Africa (ISA), now formalized as a central coordinating body, has reduced project approval times to 85 days. The 2025 Budget allocates R1 trillion over three years, with R100 billion for private-sector partnerships under revised Public-Private Partnership rules. A R180 million Project Preparation Fund has attracted R1.23 trillion in bids, while the Strategic and Special Delivery Unit (SSDU), launched in April 2025, targets stalled projects. The Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium in May 2025 unveiled a “Construction Book” of over 250 funded projects worth R268 billion, aiming to boost GDP growth to 3% by 2030. Yet, unresolved issues—R4.3 billion in unpaid invoices, R10 billion in historic debt, and ongoing corruption probes—hamper progress.
The department is also bogged down in dozens of incomplete national infrastructure projects, making oversight over maintenance all the more difficult.
The Mtentu Bridge in the Eastern Cape, along the N2 Wild Coast highway bridge has been mired in corruption and delays since its inception, costing R2.5 billion. Contractor disputes, linked to alleged tender rigging, and disruptions by “construction mafia” demanding payoffs have stalled progress for years. Local community protests over unmet job promises further complicate the site. Despite SSDU oversight since November 2024, unresolved financial irregularities and ongoing criminal interference threaten the 2026 completion target, risking further cost overruns and undermining regional transport goals.
The Sarah Baartman Centre of Remembrance, also in the Eastern Cape has been delayed fro years, and cost R200 million so far. This heritage project has faced allegations of mismanagement and corrupt tender processes, inflating costs and stalling construction. Funds were reportedly misallocated, with little progress until SSDU intervention in April 2025. Local stakeholders have accused officials of siphoning budgets meant for community benefits. Persistent delays and lack of transparency continue to erode trust, with completion still uncertain despite renewed efforts, potentially jeopardling further scrutiny of financial oversight.
The Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Works Phase 2, Gauteng (R3 billion)This critical sanitation upgrade has been plagued by corruption allegations, including irregular tender awards and subcontractor kickbacks. Delays have exacerbated pollution issues, drawing public and environmental scrutiny. Financial mismanagement, tied to unpaid invoices and disputed contracts, has slowed implementation. Despite its priority status, ongoing investigations into graft and inefficiencies threaten timely delivery, with costs likely to escalate if issues persist into 2025/26.Word count: 64
Independent news and opinion articles with a focus on the Western Cape, written for a more conservative audience – the silent majority with good old common sense.
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