South Africa's infrastructure maintenance backlog reaches R30 billion

National Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Minister Dean Macpherson has admitted that the infrastructure maintenance backlog stands at approximately R30 billion, spreading across 56 000 properties for various departments in the legislature.

Macpherson was responding to questions posed by Malebo Patricia Kobe, of ActionSA, during a recent National Assembly Party session.

Kobe asked what the total quantified backlog in rand and physical value relating to maintenance of critical and physical condition of state-owned infrastructure assets including government buildings and dams.

Kobe questioned his office’s Annual Performance Plan for the year 2024/2025, requesting which projects had been completed during the period between April 1 2024 to March this year.

Kobe also asked the Minister to expand on expenditure for each infrastructure project and its original budget and approval and reasons given if there were variations.

Macpherson admitted that there was much work still to be done referring to costs and the amount of buildings in need of maintenance and repair.

The Department of Defence had 24 260 buildings of concern with an estimated  R4,104,595,167 for costs of refurbishment while the saps had 13 183 buildings with R8,779,813,563 as an estimated cost, followed by correctional services with 12 282 buildings with an R8,409,719,482 estimated cost.

Another includes the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) with 1621 buildings with an estimated cost of R793,221,504 including the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture with 433 buildings with R705,802,728 costs expected.

The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development with 1460 buildings and a cost of R4, 614,918,987 while the Department of Employment and Labour had 105 buildings of concern with R407,956, 336 and many other departments listed.

He said in his own domain, DPWI had one building of concern with a backlog with an estimated cost of R197,010,334.

“The infrastructure maintenance backlog currently stands at approximately R30 billion,  as outlined in the table below (with table included in his response),” he explained.

“This backlog spans across various categories namely  functional, office, residential, and water treatment works; under the custodianship of the Department.

"It is important to note that this figure reflects backlog calculations based on only 56,000 properties for which the Department receives user charges.

"DPWI is however not responsible for the maintenance of dams.

"Cost & Time frame: The R30 billion backlog requires significant capital investment.

"With an annual allocation of R3.27 billion to the PMTE for infrastructure projects, eliminating the backlog on the currently assessed 56,000 properties is estimated to take two decades.

"The DPWI is exploring alternative delivery strategies due to budget pressures."

With 12 282 buildings of concern, and R8,409,719,482 estimated cost for refurbishment, Minister of Correctional Services, Dr Pieter Groenewald said the slow process impacted prisons with overcrowding.

Eune Oelofsen spokesperson for Groenewald said: “The enormous backlog in the maintenance of correctional facilities was caused by years of neglect and not prioritizing routine maintenance.

"Also, the overcrowding of our facilities places an immense burden on the infrastructure and exacerbates the dilapidation thereof.

"The Minister has repeatedly acknowledged these realities and has said that fiscal constraints are preventing the necessary steps to address this backlog.

"The Minister has prioritized self-sufficiency programmes of the Department to contain expenditure and so-doing provide funds which can be utilized for this backlog maintenance.

"The Department is also curbing expenditure on non-essentials to ensure that funds become available in the fiscus for essential priorities such as the upgrading and maintenance of correctional facilities by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure."

With the overcrowding issue, IOL news earlier reported that within three months, 6, 571  more inmates occupied prisons throughout the country, with a total of 166 924 inmates as of December 31 2024.

Cape Argus also approached the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) for response on the backlog and its impact.

“The SANDF Media Liaison Office is awaiting a response from the Logistics Division regarding the backlog of buildings," they said.

Both the Department of Employment and Labour and  DFFE said they would respond in due course.

Earlier National Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said Belhar police station would be completed by 2028/2029 while Muizenberg was placed at number 28 on the list, Khayelitsha 94 with completion set by 2026/2027.

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Cape Argus