Gauteng Pushes Back on R1 Billion ‘Unfinished Schools’ Claims

As learners return to classrooms across Gauteng this week, a heated debate has erupted over the state of the province’s school infrastructure and whether nearly R1 billion of public money has effectively gone to waste.

The Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development (DID) has firmly rejected reports suggesting that the province has “lost” close to a billion rand on unfinished or abandoned school projects, saying the claim paints an inaccurate and damaging picture of how infrastructure delivery works.

Where the Controversy Began

The issue gained traction after a weekend report alleged that Gauteng had spent almost R1 billion on school upgrades, yet only two schools were ready to be handed over to the Gauteng Education Department as the academic year resumed.

According to the report, many projects were stalled, delayed for years, or left incomplete some dating as far back as 2016. The situation was linked to a broader financial crisis within the department, compounded by more than 90 court cases involving contractors and service providers, with potential liabilities running into billions of rand.

For parents and communities who have watched half-built schools gather dust while children learn in overcrowded or temporary classrooms, the allegations struck a nerve.

Department: “No Schools Have Been Abandoned”

But the DID insists the situation has been mischaracterised.

Spokesperson Theo Nkonki, speaking on behalf of MEC Jacob Mamabolo, said Gauteng has not lost R1 billion and does not classify any school projects as abandoned.

“No school project is written off, deserted or left unaccounted for,” Nkonki said. “All projects remain formally recorded, governed and managed even where there are delays or contractual disputes.”

He stressed that delays do not equal lost money, especially in large-scale public infrastructure programmes.

Understanding How School Projects Actually Work

Part of the confusion, the department argues, comes from how infrastructure funding operates.

School construction and upgrades are multi-year projects, planned and funded through the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF). Payments are released in stages, tied to progress milestones and budget approvals that often span several financial years.

In simple terms: money spent in one year doesn’t always translate into a completed building by the next.

This is cold comfort for communities on the ground but it explains why projects can drag on without being “written off” financially.

Why Communities Are Still Angry

Despite the technical explanations, frustration remains high.

Some of the two schools now being handed over reportedly began construction a decade ago, while another was meant to be completed five years ago. In the meantime, learners have endured makeshift classrooms, unsafe facilities, and overcrowding especially in fast-growing townships.

On social media, parents and teachers have voiced scepticism, with many asking the same question: If the money isn’t lost, why are our schools still unfinished?

A Turnaround Plan Promised

The DID says it is trying to fix what it admits were “historic weaknesses” in infrastructure delivery.

Six months ago, the department rolled out a Turnaround Strategy, aimed at rescuing delayed projects and tightening oversight. This includes:

• A digital tracking system for real-time project monitoring

• A governance unit focused on accountability and compliance

• A panel of “rescue contractors” to take over stalled builds

• Legal action against problematic service providers

• Specialist teams deployed to unblock delayed projects

According to Nkonki, every rand spent remains subject to audit checks, legal recovery processes, and scrutiny by oversight bodies.

Gauteng’s school infrastructure struggles are not new. For years, the province has battled contractor failures, ballooning costs, and population growth that outpaces delivery. What’s changed now is the level of public impatience and the demand for visible results.

While the department maintains that no money has been lost on paper, the real test will be whether learners see finished classrooms, not just recovery plans.

For communities waiting on promised schools, the debate is no longer about accounting terms, it’s about time.

{Source: The Citizen}

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