One year into my term as minister of public works & infrastructure it has become clear that many of the challenges we face as a department do not arise from a lack of resources or political will but from a fundamental lack of systems.
From poorly managed lease agreements and missing management accounts to outdated property records the dysfunction that has long plagued the department can be traced back to a single root cause: the absence of robust planning tools and oversight systems.
As we prepare to table our 2025/26 budget vote in parliament this week, I want to offer a preview of one of the most important reforms we are undertaking: the digitisation of our asset management and infrastructure delivery functions.
The department of public works & infrastructure (DPWI) manages thousands of state-owned buildings across the country and manages lease agreements on behalf of client departments.
Yet, unlike private property companies that use advanced systems to monitor the performance and condition of their properties and intervene proactively, we still rely on spreadsheets, manual processes and last-minute alerts from departments when leases expire or infrastructure fails.
We do not have a central, real-time view of asset conditions, project statuses, budget allocations or lease terms. Our outdated and inaccurate systems lead to expired leases remaining active, unfinalised agreements, unmonitored landlords and unfunded maintenance obligations.
This absence of foresight creates chaos. Lease renewals are rushed. Maintenance backlogs grow. Landlords go unregulated. And client departments such as SAPS or the department of justice are left in buildings that are unfit for purpose because the DPWI has failed to act in time.
Compounding the issue, we often cannot track where departments have defaulted on utility payments or lease reimbursements, leading to unpaid bills and ballooning debts. What we have is not a system — it’s a gamble. And that gamble is costing the state dearly.
Client departments have lost confidence in our ability to deliver. Satisfaction is at an all-time low, and the consequences go beyond mere administration. When a court is inaccessible or police operate in crumbling buildings it reflects a deeper failure of the state to deliver essential services.
That is why digitisation is at the heart of our strategy to modernise how we manage public assets and serve our clients.
Building on the proven successes of the Western Cape government’s department of infrastructure, we are developing a data-rich, digital asset information platform centred on the asset core.
This system will give us real-time visibility into property locations, building conditions, user occupancy, operational costs and the officials responsible for each facility. It will enable the development of targeted strategic initiatives by identifying underutilised assets, aligning supply and demand and unlocking cost efficiencies across the public sector.
Digitisation will also reduce duplication, curb wasteful expenditure and allow for smarter use of the assets we already own
The platform will support full life cycle asset management — from acquisition and planning through construction, commissioning, operations, maintenance and disposal. It will integrate technologies such as building information modelling (BIM), sensor networks and time-of-use metering to monitor energy and water use, and building performance. Robotic process automation (RPA) will streamline repetitive processes such as invoice and lease management, reducing errors and delays. AI-powered dashboards will deliver predictive insights to inform smarter decision-making and proactive interventions.
Crucially, we will pursue the creation of digital twins — virtual replicas of our buildings and precincts that allow for real-time monitoring, scenario planning and performance optimisation. These will improve both strategic foresight and day-to-day operational responsiveness.
All lease and user agreements will be digitised and stored in a secure, centralised system, accessible to authorised officials across both DPWI and client departments. This will ensure transparency, clear delineation of roles and responsibilities, and enforceable service level expectations.
This strategy is about building accountability into the system. We will monitor landlord performance, track compliance with maintenance obligations, digitise fault reporting and ensure that every decision is backed by real-time data. No more guesswork. No more dusty filing cabinets.
Digitisation will also reduce duplication, curb wasteful expenditure and allow for smarter use of the assets we already own.
There is also a broader principle at stake. If we expect the private sector to partner with us in infrastructure development we must demonstrate that the state can operate professionally and reliably. No investor wants to work with a department that doesn’t know the state of its assets.
We are not just laying the foundation for a better system — we are laying the foundation for a better state, so we can build a better South Africa.
• Macpherson is the minister of public works & infrastructure
For opinion and analysis consideration, e-mail Opinions@timeslive.co.za
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