Construction has officially resumed on the incomplete Mamelodi Magistrate’s Court in Pretoria, 12 years after initial building work began on a project that has accumulated approximately R164 million in expenditures.
Planning for the infrastructure project started in 2007, according to the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, with the original construction contract awarded in 2013.
Repeated setbacks stalled progress over the following decade. The department cited poor contractor performance and site disruptions linked to the construction mafia as primary drivers behind the delays. These disruptions and instances of extortion cost the project more than R5 million.
By October 2023, when the previous contract was terminated, roughly 60% of the construction work had been finished. Total spending on the facility reached R163 933 686 before work stopped.
A newly appointed contractor restarted construction on 7 October 2026 under a 24-month contract valued at R241.26 million, including VAT. Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson and Deputy Chief Justice Dunstan Mlambo inspected the site on Thursday, 29 October, to review ongoing progress.
The department placed the initiative under direct management to tighten oversight and catch potential issues early. Officials also introduced an Integrated Social Facilitation Framework to foster better local community engagement and mitigate disputes over employment and subcontracting.
Macpherson stated that the government intends to hold contractors accountable and is pursuing legal avenues to recover financial losses tied to the previous contractor’s failure. The current agreement sets a target completion date of October 2028.
Deputy Chief Justice Dunstan Mlambo indicated during the site visit that he anticipates returning within six months to evaluate the ongoing progress. The extended delay leaves the new court facility unable to serve the community and surrounding areas as originally intended, meaning residents must wait nearly two more years before the building is expected to be ready.