Minister Macpherson welcomes blacklisting of 40 contractors since he took office - after only one was blacklisted since 2002
The Minister of Public Works & Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, has welcomed the move by the department’s entity, the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), to blacklist 40 contractors from doing business with the Department and its entities since June 2024 - a dramatic turnaround after only one company was blacklisted in more than two decades.
The Minister said the blacklisting, which sends a clear signal that the Department is serious about acting against non-performance, means that these contractors are now prohibited from bidding for tenders or being awarded work by the Department. He said this aligns with his vision to ensure that the Department is a professional and highly functional delivery unit, capable of providing high-quality economic infrastructure that will grow the economy and create jobs.
“The move to blacklist these non-performing contractors is exactly what we promised South Africans when I took office - that those who underperform or engage in corruption will be held accountable and removed from the system. The CIDB’s action to blacklist these contractors means we have put our words into action and sent a clear message: the days of impunity are over,” Minister Macpherson said.
“This stands in stark contrast to the single company that was blacklisted previously since 2002. That situation was completely unacceptable in an environment where construction projects remained incomplete or poorly built across the country. It undermined trust in the State’s ability to act decisively. This is why we are turning over a new leaf by restoring accountability, cleaning up the industry, and ensuring public money delivers quality infrastructure that communities can rely on.”
Minister Macpherson said the Department is also refining its own processes to ensure that the blacklisting of non-performing companies happens more swiftly, and to recover money from contractors in order to safeguard public funds.
“Over the last year, we have worked to strengthen the Department by filling key vacancies, introducing new accountability mechanisms, and tightening our procurement processes. These 40 black listings are proof that our reforms are working - but we are not done yet. We are expediting our work to clean up the Department and its entities to ensure that we can play a key role in building a better country for all South Africans.”
Enquiries
James de Villiers
Ministry of DPWI Spokesperson
E-mail: james.devilliers@dpw.gov.za
Cell: 082 766 0276
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