Trade union Solidarity has welcomed forward movement by the new Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, to find out what is what with regard to the derelict state of the South African Police Service (SAPS) head office building in Pretoria.
Macpherson told the media he is going to ask for an investigation, and he believes that the question should be asked whether it was at all necessary to purchase the premises for such a large sum at the time.
Macpherson and Pretoria’s mayor, Cilliers Brink, on 2 August visited the Telkom Towers building, which was bought and renovated by the Department of Public Works for almost R900 million eight years ago. R250 million was then spent on its renovation, but six months ago, the building had to be evacuated after Solidarity responded to complaints from members of the SAPS and consequently demanded an inspection by the Department of Employment and Labour. The building was then declared unfit for human occupation.
According to Johan Böning, head of occupational health and safety at Solidarity, the building has not been in regular use since then, and SAPS members are now scattered all over and housed in other buildings, while some apparently have no office space and therefore they have to stay at home.
“It is disheartening that so much public funding has been spent to purchase and renovate the building, [and it has been] vandalised and occupied by criminal elements, thereby creating an additional burden for the City of Tshwane,” Macpherson said. “We simply cannot spend more than eight years trying to establish how to secure public property while it deteriorates into lawlessness.”
Macpherson said the investigation will need to determine why the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure bought the Telkom Towers and if it was necessary; what the process was which was followed for contracts to be appointed and whether the contractors were fit for purpose; whether any officials should be held accountable for the purchase and renovation of the building; if there’s a possibility of reclaiming money from contractors; what can be done with the building going forward; and what steps can be taken to avoid the situation from occurring again.
Böning said he was impressed that Minister Macpherson was able to find the time to visit the SAPS building so soon after his appointment to this important portfolio.
“Hopefully the new minister is here to bring change. Like him, we also want to know what irregularities took place here and who should be held responsible for it all. Apparently very little, if any, renovation has been done at Telkom Towers since the building was vacated in February. We as the public will only be able to expect better service from SAPS members if they also feel their own workplace is safe and neat,” Böning said.
“Solidarity is also aware of other SAPS sites that have been badly neglected, and we have asked the minister to pay attention to them as well,” the trade union said.
