De Lille admits Beitbridge border fence ‘not fit for purpose’
No more repairs will be done on the Beitbridge border fence,
Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille has said.
The minister told members of the National Council of Provinces that the border fence is “not fit for purpose” and will have to come down.
De Lille faced questions about the failed R40m project in the NCOP on Tuesday.
"The acting director-general sent a technical condition team to the Beitbridge border fence. The team discovered that the fence, in its current form, is not fit for purpose," said De Lille.
"It is non-compliant with the specification. The department has decided not to undertake any repairs or maintenance to the existing fence. It will lead to irregular expenditure."
The minister added that any further border fence projects would include departments.
"Any further border fence projects will be located in the context of the integrated border management solution that is currently underway.
"In this regard, the site clearance is aimed to be completed by June 2021," said the minister.
De Lille told MPs that her office has prepared a request for information and ideas on how to repair the border fence.
