Roads Agency Limpopo (RAL) on Tuesday vowed to take a hardline stance against contractors delivering substandard work.
The agency will also target contractors that are unable to meet their contractual obligations.
“If we have to make a tough decision we do so, we are not afraid. We set the rules right at the beginning that if you do substandard work that undermines our people, we will take decisive action against you,” RAL CEO Maselaganye Matji said in a statement.
This emerged following the RAL’s improved qualified audit opinion from the Auditor-General and the visible progress that has been made in turning the organisation around from years of alternating between a disclaimer and an adverse audit opinion.
The improvement was attributed to leadership stability, addressing problems with supply chain management, cleaning up procurement processes and improved staff morale.
“A sticking point in terms of improving the audit opinion further is cleaning up the asset register. Extra focus is being placed on properly identifying all the assets – provincial roads – what condition they are in and what improvements are needed,” Matji said.
During the past financial year, RAL completed 31 road construction projects, including the Bermuda road between Ga Phasha and Mampuru. It is also upgrading the Matsakale road, which is set to be completed by the end of this year or during 2017.