THE MEC of Finance, Nkululeko Dunga, on Thursday held an Imbizo with unpaid service providers at the City Hall, Johannesburg, attended by Premier Panyaza Lesufi, to engage and seek resolution.
More than 250 service providers attended the Imbizo, and frankly and honestly engaged the MEC and senior management on the challenges they continue to face.
The Imbizo also brought together key stakeholders and institutions, including Standard Bank, SAPRAH, the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC), and the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), who provided guidance and support to service providers on issues ranging from access to finance to compliance and registration.
Key departments were also represented, including Health, Education, Infrastructure Development, and Human Settlements, to ensure that sector specific concerns raised by service providers could be addressed directly by the relevant authorities.
All queries and complaints raised by service providers were formally recorded for follow-up and resolution.
During the course of the Imbizo, a number of service providers were paid on the spot, a demonstration of the Department’s practical commitment to resolving outstanding payments.
MEC Dunga, together with Premier Lesufi, reaffirmed their firm commitment that outstanding service providers must be paid, and that all related issues, including outstanding documentation and compliance requirements, must be attended to without delay.
The MEC will, in due course, report back to service providers and the public on progress made in resolving the issues raised at the Imbizo.
Image provided (Finance MEC for Gauteng, Nkululeko Dunga and Premier Panyaza Lesufi, met service providers to engage on resolving outstanding payment issues.)
