3.2.3 It was noted that additional excavations, which had resulted in additional costs, had to be done owing to trial holes that misrepresented the soil condition. Ground conditions recorded during the investigation phase of a construction project were the basis and gave direction to the design of, for example, foundations, floors and walls. According to submissions made by the DPW and DCS, additional excavations had to be performed because trial holes dug during the investigation phase of the three projects had 'misrepresented the soil conditions". At Ceres different ground conditions were discovered after construction had commenced, at Brandvlei unexpected underground structures required changes, and at Vanrhynsdorp "underground structures" were encountered, which the DPW claimed could not have been detected during planning. The Committee questioned the legitimacy of these explanations, and thought the additional excavations were the result of poor planning on the part of the contractors, and poor monitoring by the DPW.