Limpopo to speed up payments

Roads Agency Limpopo (RAL) has appointed a private firm to help speed up payment of R70 million it owes to service providers, the province said on Monday.

 

 "The [RAL] board assured that the appointed firm will take at most three weeks to verify invoices," provincial transport spokesman Joshua Kwapa said. The department declined to mention the name of the company.

 

The firm was appointed after contractors complained to transport MEC Lehlohonolo Masoga about RAL's slow pace of processing payments.Kwapa said all "legitimate invoices" would be paid within a month.

 

 "This challenge has resulted in contractors, the majority of which are SMMEs (small, medium, and micro-enterprises), struggling to survive because of non-payment," he said.

 

 "The MEC also instructed the [RAL] board that where approval is needed it should be obtained without delay, even if it means the board meets every weekend."

 

 RAL falls under the transport department and is tasked with implementing road maintenance and upgrades in Limpopo's five districts.

 

-Sapa