KZN Contractor Claims R24m Self-Funded for Sibonginhlanhla Primary School Build

• Mbongiseni Duma of Khulakwande Construction says the KZN Department of Public Works and Infrastructure left him to carry the project financially
• Duma received only three payments over 12 months, recovering just 25% of the R24m he personally funded for the Verulam school
• MEC Martin Meyer terminated the contract at 53% completion, with total project costs now expected to rise from R73.9m to R84.3m

KWA-ZULU NATAL — The contractor appointed to build Sibonginhlanhla Primary School in Verulam has accused the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Public Works and Infrastructure of leaving him financially stranded on a government project.

According to TimesLIVE, Mbongiseni Duma, director of Khulakwande Construction, told reporters that inconsistent payments forced him to draw on his own funds to keep the school construction moving. Over 12 months, Duma said he received payment just three times, recouping only 25% of the R24 million he had personally channelled into the project. A similar project experiencing delays is a brand-new school in Gauteng, which stands empty despite it being fully built.

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Contractor Cites unsustainable conditions

Duma described mounting pressure from subcontractors and business forums, both of which demanded regular monthly payments he could not meet. With the funding pipeline from the department running dry, he said continuing the work became financially unviable.

Public Works and Infrastructure MEC Martin Meyer subsequently terminated the contract after inspectors found the build had reached only a 53% completion rate and failed quality assessments. The department confirmed the project's scheduled completion has been pushed to July next year, with an additional R10 million now required to finish the work.

Meyer acknowledged the payment failures and issued an apology, attributing the cost overruns to a combination of extortion by third parties and the billing irregularities. As a result, the overall project budget is expected to climb from R73.9 million to approximately R84.3 million.

Pupils still learning in inadequate conditions

While the contractual and financial dispute plays out, learners at Sibonginhlanhla Primary School continue to attend classes in a facility without adequate sanitation or teacher parking. Ward councillor Johnson Chetty and deputy principal Senzo Khoza both called on authorities to act with urgency, citing the impact the substandard environment has on both pupils and staff.

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The unfinished school has become a focal point of frustration for the local community, with officials and educators warning that the delays are directly affecting the quality of education learners receive each day.

View a post about the school on X:

SIU probes Mangaung tender

In a related article, Briefly News reported on President Cyril Ramaphosa's authorization of the Special Investigating Unit to investigate contracts at the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality and a Gauteng Health tender. The scrutiny follows widespread allegations of corruption and maladministration within these entities, raising significant public concern over accountability and governance in South Africa.

Source: Briefly News