The Democratic Alliance (DA) has welcomed the Department Public Works and Infrastructure’s move to blacklist 40 contractors for corruption or poor performance, calling it a long-overdue clean-up of state procurement. The party noted that for “more than twenty years” only one firm had ever been blacklisted, whereas the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) has barred 40 since June 2024 under Minister Dean Macpherson’s tenure.

The CIDB is a statutory body tasked with regulating the construction industry, ensuring accountability, and grading contractors for public projects. It has the authority to restrict or blacklist firms that fail to deliver or are implicated in misconduct, a power now being used at scale for the first time.

Dean Macpherson, appointed Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure under the Government of National Unity, has made procurement reform a central focus of his portfolio. He has argued for greater transparency and stricter action against corruption in infrastructure delivery, with the DA framing the blacklisting as evidence of this new direction.

In a statement, the DA said the step will help protect public money and improve delivery, urging the department to recover funds from failed projects and publish regular updates on sanctions. Government confirmed the blacklisting drive on 21 September 2025, describing it as part of broader procurement reforms to tighten accountability and deter repeat offenders.