INTEGRATED SERVICE DELIVERY OVERSIGHT PROGRAMME UNDERWAY IN PARYS

Article by Thokozani Ngema, Pictures by Shudufhadzo Mudau

The second day of the Integrated Service Delivery and Oversight Programme, bringing together the national Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) and its Free State provincial counterpart, got underway in Mangaung with a focus on strengthening intergovernmental cooperation, improving service delivery and creating sustainable employment opportunities.

Deputy Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Sihle Zikalala, together with the Free State MEC for Public Works and Infrastructure, Dibolelo Mance, officially launched a two-day Integrated Service Delivery Oversight Programme in Parys, under the Ngwathe Local Municipality in the Free State. The Department’s Bloemfontein Regional Office was led by Regional Manager, Thobile Zulu, while the Head Office Projects team was represented by Thembani Makaukau.

The programme commenced with a briefing session during which officials from the national and provincial Departments of Public Works and Infrastructure provided updates on the status and progress of projects scheduled for oversight.

Deputy Minister Zikalala and MEC Mance welcomed the presentations and provided input while raising concerns regarding project progress, implementation challenges, and delivery timeframes. Emphasising the importance of the oversight programme, Deputy Minister Zikalala said project performance and implementation needed to be accelerated, noting the strategic importance of Parys and its significant place in the development history of the district and the country.

Following the briefing, the delegation conducted site visits to the Parys Correctional Centre and the newly constructed Father Balink Primary School. Both projects form part of the infrastructure delivery programmes implemented by the national and provincial Departments of Public Works and Infrastructure.

During the visit to the Parys Correctional Centre, Deputy Minister Zikalala engaged with members of the media and Correctional Services officials on the progress made in completing the long-delayed project. The facility has faced several challenges since its inception, resulting in a prolonged interruption to construction. Following the hiatus, the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), as the project implementing agent, resumed work on the facility.

The Deputy Minister acknowledged the significant progress made since his first visit to the facility in 2023. He noted that substantial work had been completed and that the facility is expected to become a modern correctional centre once finalised. The project is currently 76% complete, with final completion expected early next year. The estimated final cost of the project is R400 million

MEC Mance commended the progress made at the facility and acknowledged the Deputy Minister's efforts in driving the completion of stalled infrastructure projects, including the Parys Correctional Centre. She also emphasised the importance of completing projects within approved timeframes, noting that delays have significant financial and service delivery implications. She expressed hope that the facility could, in future, be considered for alternative government use should circumstances require it.

The Integrated Service Delivery Oversight Programme forms part of government's ongoing commitment to strengthening oversight, accelerating infrastructure delivery, and ensuring that public infrastructure projects are implemented efficiently and deliver meaningful benefits to communities.