DPWI Budget Vote Report; DPWI response on matters raised by NEHAWU (with Deputy Minister)

Annual Performance Plan (APP) of Government Departments & Entities 2026/27 The Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure met to consider and adopt its draft report on Budget Vote 13: Public Works and Infrastructure, while also addressing concerns and grievances raised by the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (NEHAWU) regarding the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI). The report was adopted for further debate in a mini-plenary session. During deliberations on the department’s annual performance plans and budget allocations, members raised concerns about the real decline in the budget due to inflationary pressures. They stressed the need for improved efficiency in expenditure. Discussions focused on strengthening property portfolio management, reducing travel costs, improving lease management and concurrence processes, and reducing reliance on consultants through the development of internal capacity. Members also highlighted concerns regarding the sustainability of the Property Management Trading Entity (PMTE) funding model, financial controls following the SAGE system breach, capacity constraints affecting service delivery and audit outcomes, and the impact of regional office consolidation on operations. The committee further considered NEHAWU’s concerns about alleged discrimination, including the refusal to fund travel for oversight meetings, non-compliance with occupational health and safety standards, limited pathways for absorbing young professionals into permanent employment, and vulnerabilities in the department’s IT systems. Legal advice to the committee emphasised the distinction between labour-relations matters, which should be addressed through bargaining council processes, and oversight matters relating to governance, service delivery, compliance and the use of public funds. In response, the committee reaffirmed that governance, compliance, financial management and service-delivery issues would be pursued through parliamentary oversight processes, while employee-specific labour matters would continue to be addressed through the DPWI Departmental Bargaining Chamber and established grievance mechanisms. The committee also noted concerns about divisions within the department’s leadership, particularly where political principals publicly distanced themselves from departmental reports, and cautioned that such conduct undermined unity and accountability. Concerns were additionally raised about the accuracy of information relating to specialised service-delivery units. The Chairperson of the committee stated that where grievances pointed to broader governance and service-delivery risks, Parliament had a responsibility to intervene decisively to ensure lawful processes, credible financial controls and measurable improvements in performance. To strengthen accountability, the committee resolved to intensify its oversight through focused engagements and time-bound reporting by the department. This will include targeted briefings on compliance with the Government Immovable Asset Management Act, leasing performance, the PMTE recovery plan, progress on billing and arrears recovery, investigations and recoveries linked to the SAGE breach, and capital works affecting safety and business continuity. The DPWI will also be required to submit a consolidated progress report on the committee’s priority areas, while engagements will be held with National Treasury and key debtor departments to support improvements in PMTE billing and settlement arrangements. The committee further resolved to monitor risks affecting safety and operational continuity, including remedial work at the CGO Building and the impact of organisational restructuring on service delivery. To support coordinated resolution of labour concerns, the Chairperson recommended that the Public Service Commission convene a meeting at which the DPWI and NEHAWU would report on progress in resolving the grievances raised. The meeting concluded with a call for greater humility, transparency and cooperation between the department and organised labour in order to strengthen governance and improve service delivery.