Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba has raised serious concerns over the province’s infrastructure backlogs, stating that poor planning and delayed projects have severely hampered economic growth and service delivery.
Speaking at the provincial Infrastructure Workshop currently underway in Polokwane, Ramathuba issued a strong warning to developers and implementing agents who have failed to meet set targets in critical areas such as roads and water infrastructure.
Infrastructure Delays Costing Lives and Economic Progress
Ramathuba emphasized that the province’s infrastructure challenges stem from inefficiencies, poor planning, and a lack of accountability. She cited examples like the Mutha Malaji and Siloam hospitals, where projects meant to be completed within 12 months dragged on for years, severely impacting public service delivery.
“When we allocate budgets for infrastructure, and money gets returned to Treasury due to underspending, it means our people suffer,” she said. “If a hospital isn’t built on time, people die. If a school isn’t completed, learners lose out on education. These delays are unacceptable.”
“No More Excuses” – Premier Threatens Consequences
The premier made it clear that underperforming contractors and government agencies would face consequences. “If we give an agency 12 schools to build and they fail, we will remove them. This is not about friendships—it’s about service delivery,” she declared.
Ramathuba warned that officials who lack the necessary skills or passion for their roles should step aside, as her administration would no longer tolerate incompetence. “If you’re here because you know someone, but you can’t do the job, it’s time to speak up so we can reassign you,” she said.
Workshop Aims to Address Systemic Failures
The workshop brings together government departments, implementing agencies like the IDT and DBSA, engineers, and academics to identify bottlenecks in infrastructure delivery. The premier stressed the need for professionals to take responsibility, stating that poor workmanship—such as roads developing potholes soon after construction—directly endangers lives.
“When an engineer builds a substandard road and a pothole causes a fatal accident, that engineer is responsible for that loss of life,” she said. “We must start linking our work to the real impact on people.”
Final Warning Before Action
Ramathuba concluded by giving underperforming entities a final chance to improve, warning that failure to meet expectations would result in strict consequence management. “The people of Limpopo are impatient, and so am I,” she said. “Next time, I won’t be calling meetings—I’ll be taking action.”
The workshop is expected to produce concrete strategies to fast-track infrastructure projects, improve planning, and hold all stakeholders accountable for timely delivery.
