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Department: Public Works and Infrastructure%uf0b7 Facilitated development of business processes, SOPs, to improve core programmes operations in respect to variation orders and contract management; %uf0b7 Infrastructure planning and budgeting support provided to departments in developing the Infrastructure Programme Management Plans (IPMP) and Infrastructure Procurement Strategies (IPS); and %uf0b7 Site verifications conducted to expedite and resolve bottlenecks in the delivery of the Welisizwe Programme. The Department has successfully coordinated the social infrastructure through the TechnicalProvincial Infrastructure Coordinating Committee (T-PICC). DPWI has recently been re-allocated the coordination of the economic infrastructure through the Provincial Infrastructure Working Group (PIWG). Optimised Work opportunities Through this outcome, the department continued to focus on the restructuring some of its programmes to maximise the creation of work opportunities in the delivery of infrastructure through the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP). The EPWP continues on its commendable effort to alleviate poverty by ensuring that destitute households in the province are at least above the lowerbound poverty line. For the period under review, 2 interventions have been implemented to support Public Bodies in an effort to assist them to reach the planned work opportunities: The Department has created 4 276 work opportunities, against the annual target of 5 000. All the targeted 50 Public Bodies are reporting on EPWP targets in the province. 2.2 Key challenges The Department faces a number of challenges in implementing its mandate and these include: %uf0b7 Tight / shrinking fiscus; %uf0b7 Infrastructure budget placed under the responsibility of User/Client Departments that is often making it difficult to issue Works Orders in time and delays payments of Consultants/Contractors; %uf0b7 Non-responsiveness / Poor response of the market, which results in few awards made for longterm leasing and development of advertised state-owned sites in an effort to collect revenue; and %uf0b7 Limited funding on maintenance for state-owned facilities. During 2024/25, the Department had received a court order from a long pending court case, which had dire financial implications for the department. On 1 December 2015 default judgment was obtained in the sum of R41.031 million together with interest and costs. Judgment was granted in June 2024 upholding initial 2015 judgment that was in favour of the Plaintiff - Ikamva Architects, Case Number: 596/2008. In total, an amount of R78.302 million was paid towards the court case and was redirected from the Capital Infrastructure portfolio of the Department. This reduction of budget negatively affected the projects on the ground. In this regard, the financial consequences of the 2024/25 financial year will affect the budget allocation of the 2025/26 financial year and also the project timelines as planned. 294