Edenvale depot’s R11m facility remains unused
“It appears that the building plans were never signed off, and until that is done, a certificate of occupation cannot officially be issued.”
Despite a ribbon-cutting ceremony held at the Edenvale Waste Depot in Sebenza, an Edenvale ward councillor alleged that municipal employees are still forced to use neglected existing ablution facilities.
The ceremony was held in mid-August 2024 and, according to the City of Ekurhuleni, signified the opening of the newly built depot.
Attended by Ekurhuleni Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, the municipality stated on X that city employees at the depot “will now be able to work effectively to deliver services as their needs are efficiently attended to.”
ALSO READ: Questions mount over unused R11m ablution project at Edenvale depot
According to information provided to the Bedfordview and Edenvale News, the constructed facility boasts new change rooms, lockers, showers for male and female staff, a kitchen area, a canteen and a common area.
Ward 18 Ald Heather Hart said the reason staff still have to use substandard ablution facilities is that there are no building plans for the facility.
“It appears that the building plans were never signed off, and until that is done, a certificate of occupation cannot officially be issued,” said Hart.
“It would appear that it has fallen on me to push for the occupational certificate, but we are getting a little bit closer to staff being able to use the right facilities.”
ALSO READ: Questions mount over unused R11m ablution project at Edenvale depot
Construction on the project was completed in 2023 and was believed to have taken a year.
During a 2025 interview, Hart said it was initially believed that the project cost between R4m and R5m.
Hart said the facility’s construction was part of a larger project to upgrade the depot.
“The new ablution facility is state-of-the-art. It has rows of nice toilets and showers; there is an area for a canteen and many other rooms which could have multiple other uses, such as use as a nursing room,” Hart said.
During the 2025 interview with Hart, staff had to use showers that only had cold water, had limited access to functioning toilets, and found many of the shower curtains missing.
Hart said Essentially Edenvale had to step in and assist with repairs to the geysers.
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Following an interview with Ward 18 environmental development portfolio committee member Lisa Atkins earlier this year, it was alleged that the project cost more than double what the NEWS was initially told.
This information was shared with the NEWS after answers were provided by the City of Ekurhuleni in response to questions posed by DA Member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature Khathutshelo Rasilingwane, revealing that the facility cost more than R11m to construct.
Atkins provided the NEWS with the correspondence between the CoE and Rasilingwane.
Earlier this year when the city was asked why staff were not using the building, it stated that the certificate of completion and occupation could not be issued until all outstanding work was finalised.
The city highlighted that the primary delay stemmed from the late issuing of fire safety drawings by the consultant, which was due to internal matters with their sub-consultant.
A request for comment was sent to the City of Ekurhuleni, requesting a response to allegations and questions about the facility’s readiness and what still needs to be prepared.
Comment was requested by August 28 at 15:00.
At the time of going to print, no comment had been received.
