R164 million spent to construct a new Magistrate’s Court building which remains incomplete 12 years later

After more than a decade of delays and rising costs, the Department of Public Works has appointed a new contractor under a R241.26 million contract to complete the Mamelodi Magistrate’s Court.

Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson announced the appointment following an oversight visit to the site with Deputy Chief Justice Dunstan Mlambo on 29 October 2026.

The new contractor has been awarded a R241.26 million contract to complete the 10,132m² Tshwane facility, which will improve access to justice for residents of Mamelodi and surrounding communities.

Construction began more than a decade ago, but has been repeatedly interrupted by poor contractor performance, community unrest and alleged interference by construction mafias.

Macpherson said the project is now expected to be completed within 24 months, by October 2028. The department has also brought it under direct management to strengthen oversight and hold contractors accountable.

The Mamelodi Magistrate’s Court was originally expected to be completed within 18 months of construction starting in November 2013.

According to the Department of Public Works, the original completion date was May 2015. However, the project made little progress and was eventually abandoned.

The original contractor, Fikile Construction, was awarded the tender. Work was halted intermittently, with the Department of Public Works citing community unrest, financial difficulties and problems involving specialised construction work.

The project also faced demands from groups claiming to represent local businesses and workers.

In October 2025, GroundUp reported that the department attributed some of the delays to demands by local subcontractors, suppliers and labourers to participate in the project on their own terms.

These included demands for a 30% share of the project, as well as preferential allocation of wage packages and supply contracts.

The department said the disruptions led to frequent work stoppages and strained relations between the contractor and the local community.

Fikile Construction’s contract was terminated in October 2023. At the time, the department was preparing to appoint a replacement contractor.

The cost of the unfinished project had also increased substantially. In 2022, the department said the original budget was R124.6 million, of which R118.4 million had already been spent.

By October 2025, the department told GroundUp that R163.94 million had been spent on the project.

It also said it intended to take legal action against Fikile Construction to recover damages caused by the incomplete work.

The State Attorney had been instructed to issue a summons after the new contract was awarded, allowing the department to quantify the damages.

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Mamelodi East residents have gone years without a nearby court

The new court is intended to make justice services more accessible to residents of Mamelodi East and surrounding areas.

When construction began, residents welcomed the prospect of having a magistrate’s court closer to home.

The nearest existing facility is in Mamelodi West, which means that some residents have to pay transport costs to attend court proceedings. Residents have also raised concerns about the existing court’s size and conditions.

In September 2024, the SABC reported that community members described the existing facility as crowded and dilapidated, with concerns about unsanitary conditions.

The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development acknowledged the court’s space constraints.

However, its spokesperson, Terrence Manase, told GroundUp in October 2025 that the existing Mamelodi Magistrate’s Court remained fully functional.

At the time, he noted that there were seven courtrooms operating. He also said there were no reported case backlogs at the time.

The new facility is expected to provide additional capacity for the 335,000-resident community. The appointment of a new contractor marks another attempt to complete the project after years of stalled construction and rising costs.

“By bringing the project under direct departmental management, strengthening oversight and holding contractors accountable, we are determined to get stalled infrastructure projects back on track and ensure this court is finally delivered for the community,” Macpherson said.

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Photos of the Mamelodi Magistrate’s Court

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