KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Public Works and Infrastructure, Martin Meyer, says a massive audit of government-owned properties has given the province a clearer picture of its assets and how they are being used.
He said when he came into office under the current Government of Provincial Unity (GPU), he sat down with senior management and agreed that they needed to make what they have work for the people of KwaZulu-Natal.
“To do this, we had to start by accounting for every single asset,” Meyer said.
The audit, conducted earlier this year, saw teams physically verifying buildings and plots of land across the province. Meyer described the process as challenging but ultimately successful.
According to the findings, KwaZulu-Natal owns 10 067 assets, with a 95% audit completion rate achieved. Of these, 8 110 (90.19%) are fully utilised, 681 (7.6%) are unutilised, and 201 (2.2%) are under-utilised. On occupation, 8 024 assets (89.2%) were found to be in use, 578 are vacant, and 320 are occupied illegally.
Meyer said the department had already begun addressing unutilised and hijacked buildings. “We have started processes to constructively dispose of them in a manner that benefits the greater communities where they are located. This includes working with municipalities and other departments to see how these assets can be jointly leveraged,” he explained.
The MEC also expressed satisfaction with the department’s recent infrastructure delivery record. He pointed to projects such as storm repairs at RK Khan Hospital, which cost R60 Million. “I was very pleased with the quality of workmanship, time-keeping and cost considerations. Gone are the days where unreasonable delays and inflated costs held back delivery. We will not entertain contractors who sign up simply to make a quick buck,” Meyer said.
Looking ahead, the department is shifting focus towards supporting municipalities directly. Meyer said that most infrastructure projects fall under municipalities, but many smaller towns face challenges due to a lack of technical capacity.
“As the department we have the experts — architects, engineers, project managers — and we are proud to announce a Memorandum of Understanding with COGTA. This agreement allows municipalities to use our professional services at little or no cost, reducing expenses and speeding up delivery,” Meyer said.
He described the agreement as a “game changer” for service delivery in the province. “Every municipality we have spoken to has welcomed the initiative. It will improve capacity, cut costs, and bring much-needed infrastructure to communities faster,” he added.
Meyer also thanked MEC for COGTA, Reverend Buthelezi, for partnering with Public Works. “I want to thank MEC Rev. Buthelezi for sharing our vision and for ensuring municipalities spend their MIG grants effectively, bringing real change to the people of KZN,” Meyer concluded.
