KZN govt gets legal with hospital contractor

THE KwaZulu-Natal Department of Public Works has taken further legal action against the building contractor that was already ejected from the Nkonjeni Hospital upgrade project in Ulundi, which has dragged on for nearly six years.

- SIPHO JACK

The department was granted a court interdict against the contractor in question on Friday last week for intimidating workers and barring them from working and entering the site.

This firm stance comes after the contractor's contract was terminated for repeatedly failing to meet deadlines in completing the Nkonjeni project and subsequently attempting to strong-arm the department into rehiring his company.

The MEC for Public Works, Martin Meyer said their stance reflected his department's commitment to holding contractors accountable in public infrastructure projects throughout the province.

"We will not be intimidated," Meyer said in asserting the department's resolve to ensure timely and high-quality infrastructure delivery for the residents of KwaZulu-Natal.

The optimum functioning of Nkonjeni Hospital, which is a 207 bed facility that offers a wide-range of health services, has been impacted by the delays and safety concerns since work on the project commenced in July 2020.