Dean Macpherson addresses dysfunction in public works at Cape Town Press Club

Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, spoke candidly about the "institutional challenges and governance failures" he has faced since taking office in July 2024.

Speaking at the Cape Town Press Club on Thursday, February 5, the minister painted a picture of a department plagued by dysfunction, where the state machinery itself, rather than policy or budget, is the biggest obstacle.

Mr Macpherson described a culture of "going slow", resistant to instruction, and "selective compliance" designed to outwait political leadership.

He is a member of parliament for the Democratic Alliance and is their provincial chairman in KwaZulu-Natal.

"Essentially, our task is to build, to maintain, to manage public assets, and to create and initiate conditions for investment and construction," he said. 

Mr Macpherson said they turn breaks, pipes, cables, roofs, classrooms, clinics, police stations, and courts into functional areas for the public. 

He also highlighted progress in tackling the scourge of the construction mafia, noting that a national strategy adopted with the police and national treasury had led to over 800 cases reported and more than 250 arrests.

He stressed that tackling this issue was essential for infrastructure delivery.

Mr Macpherson explains that the mafia is a criminal groups that demand a share of project contracts or payments, often through intimidation or violence.

He assured the press that his department was determined to push through reform, warning that internal sabotage and resistance would not deter the national programme of action to restore accountability and improve service delivery.

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