DA member of the National Council of Provinces, George Michalakis, raised questions to whether the money that goes to under-qualified contractors could not be used to properly fund and capacitate the government's already established and underfunded road district authorities.

Michalakis states the road district authorities in the province have not been funded sufficiently to employ the number of staff needed to fulfil its duties.

It is further explained that the department has indicated that it spent more than R10 160 200 in the 2020/21 financial year on site establishment – which is standard in larger contracts for the purpose of assisting CDP companies to get on site, and to ensure that they have all the necessary equipment to honour the contract.

Michalakis feels if the department made use of their own employees and expertise within the road district authorities, such a site establishment fee could have been allocated to fix new roads.

ALSO READ: Millions spent on Free State roads

It was also revealed that most of the 71 companies that the department has been making use of for the past three years were established in the past 10 years.

OFM News previously reported that of the 71 companies, a total of seven are currently in the process of being deregistered and some have already been deregistered due to annual report of non-compliance as required by law.

In some cases, the department allegedly also failed to provide the accurate names of the directors of the companies.

OFM News