PRETORIA – The Independent Development Trust (IDT) wishes to reaffirm its commitment to its strategic partnership with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport and to the collective responsibility of delivering sustainable infrastructure for the people of South Africa, particularly the communities of KwaZulu-Natal.
This follows recent engagements between the IDT, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport, contractors and stakeholders regarding programme implementation matters, payment challenges and broader infrastructure delivery concerns affecting projects within the province.
The IDT welcomes the constructive engagement held with the MEC for Transport, Mr Siboniso Duma, together with departmental leadership and contractors on 4 May 2026, where all parties reaffirmed the importance of collaboration, communication and coordinated intervention to protect service delivery, project continuity, jobs and community stability.
As a state infrastructure implementing agency, the IDT remains firmly committed to the principles of transparency, accountability, sound financial governance and ethical administration in the execution of all infrastructure programmes entrusted to it by government departments and public institutions.
The organisation notes with concern certain public statements suggesting that the IDT has not accounted for programme funds transferred for implementation purposes. The IDT wishes to categorically state that these assertions are incorrect and do not reflect the extensive financial, governance and reporting processes that have continuously been undertaken by the organisation.
The IDT has, throughout the lifecycle of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport infrastructure portfolio, maintained structured and auditable financial management processes aligned to applicable legislation, public finance prescripts and governance frameworks. These measures include detailed expenditure reconciliations, programme financial reports, funding allocation reports, cash flow management submissions, historical expenditure analyses, monthly reporting mechanisms, project performance monitoring and ongoing engagements with departmental representatives and leadership structures.
In addition, the IDT has continuously accounted for programme expenditure through formal submissions and engagements that include:
The submission of comprehensive financial reconciliation reports detailing expenditure incurred on projects and programme commitments;
The submission of programme expenditure updates and requests relating to funding reallocations in order to ensure continuity of service delivery and project implementation;
Regular reporting on contractor payment obligations, project cash flow requirements and infrastructure delivery progress;
The provision of historical portfolio expenditure reports and supporting financial information as requested by the Department;
Continuous engagement with departmental officials through monthly reporting platforms, governance meetings and operational coordination structures.
The IDT further wishes to emphasise that the current challenges affecting project implementation are not attributable to any failure of accountability by the organisation, but are largely linked to funding constraints, cash flow pressures and broader operational complexities affecting infrastructure delivery within the programme. These matters require coordinated institutional intervention, strengthened collaboration and constructive engagement between all stakeholders to ensure continuity of service delivery and project implementation.
Importantly, the IDT does not regard the current situation as a deterioration of its relationship with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport. On the contrary, the organisation continues to regard the Department as a critical strategic partner in advancing infrastructure delivery and socio-economic development within KwaZulu-Natal.
The partnership between the IDT and the Department of Transport remains fundamentally centred on improving the lives of citizens through the delivery of roads, transport infrastructure and public assets that stimulate economic activity, improve mobility, support rural development and strengthen access to essential services for communities across the province.
The IDT believes that both institutions share a common constitutional and developmental mandate to ensure that infrastructure delivery remains responsive to the needs of communities and contributes meaningfully towards inclusive growth and service delivery.
The IDT remains confident that through constructive engagement, strengthened collaboration and decisive intervention by all stakeholders, sustainable solutions can be achieved in the interest of communities, contractors and the broader infrastructure delivery programme within the province.
Ends –
For enquiries send an email to:
tintswaloma@idt.org.za
Issued by: Office of the Acting Chief Executive Office
