Public Works Tenders South Africa 2026: Complete Guide

The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) is one of South Africa's largest procurers, managing government buildings, infrastructure, and the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP). Combined national and provincial public works procurement exceeds R50 billion annually.

National vs Provincial Public Works

National DPWI

• Government building construction and maintenance
• Prestige buildings (Parliament, Union Buildings)
• Border infrastructure
• National property portfolio management

Provincial Departments of Public Works

Each province has its own Department of Public Works:

KZN Public Works — One of the most active provincial departments, managing healthcare facility construction, school buildings, and government offices across KwaZulu-Natal.

Eastern Cape Public Works — Major infrastructure projects including school construction, hospital upgrades, and rural road development.

Gauteng Public Works — Large-scale government building projects in the economic hub.

Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Free State, North West, Western Cape, Northern Cape — All issue regular tenders for provincial infrastructure.

Types of Public Works Tenders

Construction (50% of spend)

• New government building construction
• Building renovation and upgrades
• Road construction and rehabilitation
• Water and sanitation infrastructure
• Housing development

Maintenance (30% of spend)

• Building maintenance and repairs
• Grounds maintenance and landscaping
• Electrical and plumbing maintenance
• HVAC and mechanical services
• Painting and refurbishment

Professional Services (15% of spend)

• Architectural design
• Engineering consulting
• Quantity surveying
• Project management
• Environmental assessments

EPWP Projects (5% of spend)

The Expanded Public Works Programme creates labour-intensive opportunities:

• Community maintenance projects
• Environmental rehabilitation
• Social sector programmes
• Infrastructure maintenance

CIDB Registration Requirements

For construction-related public works tenders, CIDB registration is mandatory:

How to Find Public Works Tenders

ProTenders aggregates all public works tenders — national and all nine provinces — into one searchable platform:

1. Search by keyword "public works" or "DPWI"
2. Filter by province for regional opportunities
3. Filter by category (construction, maintenance, consulting)
4. Set up email alerts for public works tenders

B-BBEE and Preferential Procurement

Public works departments apply strict PPPFA requirements:

• 80/20 preference for tenders up to R50M
• 90/10 for tenders above R50M
• Set-aside tenders for EMEs and QSEs
• Local labour requirements (particularly EPWP)
• CIDB compliance for all construction work

Find public works tenders:

Search public works tenders | KZN public works | Eastern Cape public works | Set up alerts