Ministers overseeing government security and infrastructure have issued a strong warning against negligence, poor project management, and wastage of public resources in the delivery and management of government property.
The Minister Overseeing the Ministry of State President, Defence and Security, Moeti Mohwasa, and the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Letlhogonolo Barongwang, sounded the warning during a visit to Serule Police Station this week.
The ministers emphasised the need for government departments to strengthen reliability checks, quality control, and project monitoring to ensure that public infrastructure is delivered to the required standards and provides value for taxpayers’ money.
Mohwasa cautioned that negligence in the management and delivery of government property will not be tolerated, stressing that proper monitoring must be maintained throughout the life cycle of a project.
He said government departments would undergo visitation and inspection exercises to assess whether public property management is on track and to identify areas where corrective measures may be necessary.
The inspections are also expected to ensure that projects currently under construction are properly managed, with attention given to quality, timelines, and the efficient use of public resources.
The ministers further warned against skipping essential quality checks and reliability assessments, which can expose the government to costly repairs, premature deterioration of infrastructure, and other avoidable expenses.
Project monitoring is particularly important as poor supervision can result in cost overruns, where projects eventually cost substantially more than their originally approved budgets. Delays can further increase expenditure through contract extensions, variations, inflation, and other additional costs.
Another concern is the existence of incomplete government buildings and infrastructure. When projects remain unfinished after significant public funds have already been spent, the intended public benefit is delayed while the government may be forced to commit additional resources to complete the works.
Mohwasa stressed the importance of accountability and responsible property management across government departments, indicating that the forthcoming inspections will help establish whether departments are properly managing public assets and projects under their responsibility.
