KZN MEC Martin Meyer
Image: Supplied
WHEN I became the MEC for the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, I took up the position proudly and being well aware of the many issues plaguing the department. Among the many issues gripping this once-distressed entity was the issue of corruption, which had cost the department millions in rand, and moreover, its own credibility and image.
On the day I was announced as MEC of KZN Public Works and Infrastructure, during media interviews, I made a clarion call that anyone wanting to conduct business with us must do so through the correct channels, and not to call my number. This was not just a warning against corruption to outsiders, but it was a warning to anyone, including officials within the department, that the days of committing corruption and simply continuing as if business as usual, were over.
One of the first undertakings was to clean house and rid this department of officials who were orchestrating corruption. To my surprise there were several recommendations, up to 12, that were handed down from the Office of The Premier over the past few years, yet were not instituted against officials. A clear and conclusive outcome based on investigations was simply cast aside by the then head of department.
What we did was the obvious – to institute these findings and correctly deal with corrupt officials. Among these was the former head of department who faces corruption and criminal charges. A need for an acting head of department then arose, and on August 22, 2024, Dr Vish Govender was appointed by me as MEC of KZN Public Works and Infrastructure.
At the helm, in his then acting capacity, Dr Govender spearheaded the institution of other recommendations from Office of The Premier, as well as disciplinary proceedings against accused and suspected officials. It is, therefore, simply untruthful that Dr Govender was responsible for corruption or decay at KZN Public Works and Infrastructure prior the August 22, 2024 appointment, as before then he was serving as chief director of the Immovable Asset Unit, and serving under a then head of department who is currently facing criminal and corruption charges.
Dr Govender was in no way “commander-in-chief” as confidently, yet ever so incorrectly stated by the claimant of your open letter.
Regarding the matter of a single company which was irregularly awarded several contracts to the tune of R1,1 billion by KZN Public Works and Infrastructure, once again the claims that have been given to your publication are severely inaccurate.
The company in question started doing business with the department as far back as 2014. As you may have deduced by now, Dr Govender was not at the helm of the department in any shape or form, as the timelines clearly indicate the company started doing business with the department under the watch of a previous head of department, who is facing serious criminal charges.
In fact, it was during his tenure as acting head of department that Dr Govender spearheaded action which resulted in the axing of a then senior supply chain management official, in early 2025, who was among those responsible for the irregularly-awarded contracts to the company. This is a well-known and documented event, which was also communicated to the media.
Pertaining to the audit outcome. The latest outcome was the first favourable one that KZN Public Works and Infrastructure has obtained in a decade. In technical terms, the outcome is a clean audit with only one finding which relates that late payment of contractors. Once again this is something the department, as spearheaded by Dr Govender, has aggressively moved to address which has resulted in the release payment of R500 million to pay contractors, some whom had not seen a penny of payment for their work for several years.
Currently all contractors are now paid within the 30-day period. Again, this was an achievement that we, as KZN Public Works and Infrastructure, are very proud of, and have shared numerous times on media platforms that we believe were in pole position to secure a full clean audit.
On the matter of contactors, it was Dr Govender who was tasked with forming the Interim Rapid Response Unit whose sole mandate was to audit and find solutions to stalled projects while reporting directly to him on a weekly basis. The outcome is that we, KZN Public Works and Infrastructure, have gone 13 months without a project disruption or threat.
On the interview and appointment process which resulted in Dr Govender appointed permanently into the position of head of department, the process was open, fair and transparent with candidates from other provinces also applying. To ensure legitimacy I, as an MEC, am in no way involved in the process. Furthermore, the panel is mixed to include officials and MECs from other departments who have no direct working relationship with Dr Govender as a then candidate.
Over and above, once the panel finalises the process, their conclusions and reports are then submitted to the Office of The Premier. From there it is entirely the premier’s prerogative as to who gets appointed. Since his appointment as acting head of department and head of department, Dr Govender has played a continuous instrumental role in turning around the KZN Department of Public Works and Infrastructure.
As a member of the executive cabinet and steward of the KZN Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, I fully support Dr Govender who has been at the front line in rooting out corruption and maladministration in the department, while putting service delivery first as we continue to turn the department around in order to build KZN better.
As KZN Public Works and Infrastructure, we welcome anyone with concerns about matters of the department coming forward to us. They can do so by making use of our public hotmail: [email protected]. We encourage people to come forward with genuine concerns and also to provide undisputed evidence.
Martin Meyer
MEC KZN PUBLIC WORKS AND INFRASTRUCTURE
• Meyer has provided supporting documents.