EMPD Edleen precinct remains closed for nearly 10 years

“The City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) has once again failed the residents of Ekurhuleni, allowing the EMPD Edleen precinct to decay for nearly a decade because of corruption, incompetence, and a complete lack of accountability,” said Ward 104 Clr Tracey Lourenco.

“A precinct that should have been fully operational years ago remains a white elephant, serving no purpose despite millions in public funds being invested into the project since its registration in the 2016 to 2019 financial years,” she added.

“The opening was scheduled for September 2024, yet delayed because of fundamental design flaws.”

Lourenco stated mismanagement was at the centre of this failure, a poorly designed staircase, the absence of IT infrastructure, and missing office essentials like blinds have all contributed to the delays.

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In response to questions posed to the council, it was revealed that more funding must be allocated in the next budget cycle to fix these preventable errors.

“Once again, residents are forced to suffer the cost of the ANC-EFF coalition’s failures.”

Lourenco added the CoE council has refused to be transparent about the expenditure on this doomed project.

“They provided no breakdown of contractor payments, legal fees, or penalties for non-compliance. This lack of accountability is unacceptable,” she said.

Adding to this disaster are the legal battles that have hindered this precinct project since 2016.

“The initial contractor secured an interdict against the CoE delaying the project for years.”

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When the court eventually ruled in favour of the city, the contractor only completed the basement.

“The city later ordered the service provider to correct the defects at their own cost, yet the real estate department disclosed no funds are available to execute repairs. This precinct disaster is an example of what happens when the city is left unscrutinised,” said Lourenco.

“Because of this incompetence, 76 EMPD officers who should protect our communities remain without a functional precinct.”

Zweli Dlamini, spokesperson for the CoE, said the city was aware of the precinct not operating.

“The Edleen Precinct was not certified to be occupied because of the incorrect height between the beam and the landing of the stairs from the undercover parking,” said Dlamini.

“The first contractor appointed on the project halted building because of an ongoing dispute about the quality of work between the contractor and the department.

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“The CoE took the contractor to court, where the city won the case against the contractor and the contractor was removed,” added Dlamini.

According to Dlamini, the matter received attention because the city needed the facility operational.

“There is a contingency plan to address critical aspects of the project and all the relevant departments within the city are engaging on the matter and the process is at an advanced stage,” said Dlamini.