R1.4 billion allocated to incomplete projects in the Free State

Free State Premier Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae delivering the State of the Province Address (Sopa). Picture: Facebook/Free State Provincial Government An undisclosed number of incomplete projects in the Free State have been allocated R1.4 billion for the 2026/2027 financial year. This is according to the provincial premier, MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae.

She was delivering the State of the Province Address (Sopa) on Friday. This allocation has been criticised, questioning why these projects have not been completed and what happened to their initial budgets. She did not specifically name which projects would receive the share of the R1.4 billion, but it seems most of the money will go to road infrastructure projects.

“For the 2026/27 financial year, we have allocated R1.4 billion to complete existing projects,” said Letsoha-Mathae. “Focus will be on rural roads, small towns’ connectivity, and pothole eradication to drive agricultural growth, enable trade, eradicate poverty, and facilitate access to essential services.” In addition, there will be 10 new road construction and maintenance projects to be procured towards the end of the financial year, she said. It is unclear whether the new projects will receive a share of the R1.4 billion or will have their own budget allocation.

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The premier did not give reasons why these projects have not been completed, nor when they will be completed. Roy Jankielsohn, DA Free State Leader, is one of the voices to criticise the allocation to complete existing projects. “The DA’s first and most pressing question is, why are these projects incomplete in the first place? These projects were already budgeted for,” he said.

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