The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure in KwaZulu-Natal senior departmental officials will no longer be spared when mega projects fail under their watch.

The MEC for the Department, Martin Meyer, said a number of projects still fall short of meeting the department requirements as per the issued mandate.

He was speaking after visiting the failed R100 million Ngwelezana hospital upgrade project in Empangeni, where the contractor who was appointed by the previous ANC administration dismally failed to get the project off the ground, forcing the contract to be cancelled.

“As KZN Public Works and Infrastructure, we have been making good progress in dealing with failing and incompetent contractors, however, while doing this we have been allowing senior project officials to remain protected and dodge accountability.

“That will no longer be the case. Part of the mandate of department officials is to ensure that projects are on track, within budget, of the highest quality and take necessary action at the stages should things go wrong,” Meyer said.

The project is for the construction of an orthotics and prosthetic Centre. Once the 24-monthproject is completed the health facility is envisioned to have a waiting area, administration offices, 3 x assessment rooms with ablutions, supply chain/storage, workshop, machine room, generator room, compressor room, welding room, pop rectification room, oven room, spray room, laminating room, ablutions, parking with associated electrical, mechanical, civil, and structural works.

Last year, the department cancelled the tender of the contractor that failed to undertake the Nkonjeni hospital in Ulundi in northern KwaZulu-Natal.