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Macpherson complained that he is not getting regular updates about the reconstruction of parliament.
Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson. Picture: Jacques Nelles
Build One South Africa (BOSA) has accused the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson of being “weak” and allowing himself to be bullied.
This comes after Macpherson said he is not receiving regular updates from the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) on the restoration process of the damaged parliament precinct in Cape Town.
DBSA is an implementing agency of the restoration process.
There was an agreement that DBSA would provide biweekly reports to the speaker of parliament, the secretary to parliament and Macpherson. This was to ensure transparency, urgency and accountability.
But this has not happened.
Instead, Parliament was briefed about the restoration process last month, without the minister being involved.
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Macpherson told BOSA that the last update he received on the restoration process was late last year.
Macpherson says the Speaker told him that a Joint Standing Committee on the Financial Management of Parliament had been established and that parliament will receive regular updates in this manner.
“I have not received any further correspondence from the Speaker or Secretary to Parliament. I am also aware that to date (April), the DBSA has failed to attend any portfolio meeting for Public Works and Infrastructure, despite a number of planned meetings.
“I thus refer any further questions on the rebuilding of Parliament to the Speaker and Secretary to Parliament,” he said.
Macpherson’s spokesperson James de Villiers told The Citizen that the minister was told he would not receive regular updates because DBSA is accountable to parliament.
“Therefore, while the Department of Public Works & Infrastructure (DPWI) remains the owner of the property, it is not involved in any manner in the reconstruction process or its expenditure.
“Despite efforts to obtain reports from the DBSA following a visit to the precinct last year, the minister’s office was only provided with one report. Thereafter, the DBSA advised that they are not accountable to the DPWI but rather to the Speaker of the National Assembly,” he said.
When approached by The Citizen for comment, parliament spokesperson Moloto Mothapo referred the matter to DBSA.
However, DBSA told The Citizen that it would respond to questions, but this was not provided by the time of publishing.
BOSA spokesperson Roger Solomons said Macpherson should take charge of the restoration project.
“The minister is weak… Instead of leading from the front, Minister Macpherson has taken the passive route of letter-writing and sidestepping, abdicating responsibility while citizens are left in the dark about progress, timelines and costs. His statement makes it clear: there has been no accountability, no urgency and no transparency.
“Despite commitments made during an oversight visit in July 2024, the DBSA has flat-out refused to provide biweekly progress reports to the department, and the minister has simply accepted this,” he said.
Solomons said he is concerned that the lack of transparency would lead to corruption and the cost of restoration skyrocketing.
The initial budget to restore parliament was R2 billion. It has since increased to at least R3 billion.
“The failure to restore parliament, more than two years and three months after the fire, is a damning indictment of the government’s inability to manage major infrastructure projects. It also robs the South African people of a functioning, legitimate democratic space to which they are entitled,” he said.
On 31 March, the Joint Standing Committee on the Financial Management of Parliament expressed its support for October 2026 as the anticipated completion date for reconstructing the damaged Parliament buildings.
The committee received a briefing from the Secretary to Parliament, Xolile George, and the Reconstruction and Restoration of Parliament project team led by Simon Mashigo.
They said the project was divided into various phases to facilitate monitoring.
The project has received a construction work permit (CWP), allowing on-site construction to commence.
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