Limpopo public works department placed under ‘professional assessment’

The Limpopo Office of the Premier has placed its provincial department of public works, roads and infrastructure under “professional assessment”.

The office said yesterday a team of skilled professionals in different fields will assist the department for 90 days.

Premier Stanley Mathabatha’s spokesperson Willy Mosoma said yesterday the move comes after the office was inundated with calls about the slow construction of roads and paving.

Informed decisions

“It is against this background that head of department Timothy Seroka has been seconded to the department of cooperative governance, human settlements and traditional affairs from 24 April,” said Mosoma.

“The professional team will help the premier make an informed decision about the department. Seroka will be working as deputy director-general responsible for cooperative governance, which is key to the department’s aggressive plan to enhance the rate of service delivery,” said Mosoma.

But others in the province said the secondment proved that Mathabatha was not acting against his comrades deployed in government when their actions were found wanting.

The standing committee on public accounts recently raised concerns about the dismal performance of the department on audits.

ALSO READ: Road Agency Limpopo: R5.3 billion irregular expenditure incurred

Audit not provided

It failed to move from a qualified audit opinion over three years. Recently, Seroka was accused of overruling a decision by a project management committee to penalise a contractor involved in the construction of Manenu Traffic College in Venda.

He has been on the project since 2020 but the college is not yet complete. Two years ago, Seroka was accused of claiming travel allowances for a large car when he used a small vehicle.

Concerns

The department allegedly lost R11 000 over this. Yesterday, the Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomed the decision to move Seroka.

“We have repeatedly raised concerns over the infrastructure development and maintenance backlogs, the shocking state of the provincial road network and the continual failures of the Roads Agency Limpopo,” DA MPL Risham Maharaj said.

“This department has repeatedly failed to ensure the payment of municipal bills and has racked up hundreds of millions in debt. This has a ripple effect on effective service provision by municipalities.”

READ MORE: Limpopo Sopa: Mathabatha speaks of progress but EFF blasts ‘false promises’

– news@citizen.co.za