Question NW1392 to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services

Reply:

a) The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DoJ&CD) has requested the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) to increase the day-to-day maintenance threshold from R100 000.00 to R1 000 000.00 per incident.

DPWI has granted approval to the request and DoJ&CD has revised the delegations accordingly effective from 01 October 2022. This increase has since been communicated to all Provincial Offices of DoJ&CD for immediate implementation. The devolution does, however, have limitations with regards to the disciplines and specialised work that will remain within the custodianship of DPWI as per the current approved day-to-day Maintenance guidelines.

DPWI as custodians have reviewed the current day-to-day Maintenance guidelines to ensure process improvements, in relation to execution of the maintenance and operations services function to ensure alignment in respect to asset care obligations between the DoJ&CD and DPWI. A workshop on Day-to-day Maintenance and Devolution of R1 million to DoJ&CD was conducted by DPWI to DoJ&CD on 23 March 2023. Discussions and engagements were undertaken on contents and implementation of the reviewed guidelines and DoJ&CD requested more time to review and peruse the guidelines with all provinces. The current 2019 Guidelines remain in effect until such a time that they are rescinded.

There have been 70 completed projects implemented through the newly approved delegation threshold of R1 million per incident. These refurbishments will improve the conditions of the courts and ensure that the infrastructure is maintained and fit for the intended purpose.