Agriculture department blamed for incomplete abattoir that cost R35m

The government could have its assets attached next week after it blew R35 million on an incomplete Eastern Cape abattoir, which has stood as a dilapidated and rusty eyesore for almost seven years. 

In May last year, the agriculture, land reform and rural development department was called “the culprit” in the stalled construction of a R60 million sheep and cattle slaughterhouse meant to provide much-needed economic development in the impoverished town of Butterworth along the N2 highway.

The Mnqumashe Abattoir — whose construction began in 2016 — had an initial completion target date of September 2017 that was extended to May 2018. 

Nebavest 46, the company contracted to build the abattoir, was awarded more than R6 million for the “wrongful” termination of its construction agreement in February 2020, but has not received its payment and applied to attach the department’s assets, with the matter sitting in the Eastern Cape high court on 29 November.