Limpopo - The Limpopo government has defended a payment of an extra R12 million to a contractor for building houses in Seshego.
It blamed this on a quantity surveyor who had under-measured items required for construction.
“The department is happy with the contractor and expects the project to be completed on or before the end of November,” co-operative governance department spokeswoman Dieketseng Diale said in a statement on Wednesday.
Raesetja Property Developers, trading as Sizani Build IT, reportedly received an extra R12m even though it failed to meet two deadlines.
The contract to build residential units in Seshego, outside Polokwane, was awarded to Sizani in 2010. Its owner Steve Bosch was said to be politically connected in the province.
The project was initially supposed to cost R41 million.
Diale said this had increased because the quantity of construction materials had been incorrectly calculated.
Aurecon Engineers was appointed to verify the required electrical components and under-measured work, said Diale.
“Aurecon facilitated a report by an independent quantity surveyor, Quanpro Quantity Surveyors. Quanpro concluded that the project was under-measured... by R11 655 217.”
Diale said the department was “convinced” the contractor had made a good case for approving the increase.
“The department approached the provincial treasury in August last year and requested guidance and approval of the variation order,” she said.
An amount of R11 655 217 was approved and paid to Sizani, she said. - Sapa