Probe expected into millions that went into SAPS Pretoria HQ

New Minister of Public Works, Dean Macpherson, has announced the department’s intention to launch a probe into expenditure on the infamous Telkom Towers buildings after over R600-million was spent.

He was speaking during a site visit to the towers in the Pretoria CBD on August 1, accompanied by Mayor Cilliers Brink and officials.

Macpherson said given the amount of money paid both in the R695-million purchase of the buildings and subsequent R295-million for renovations, the state of the buildings is unacceptable.

“It is simply unacceptable that for the past eight years, the buildings behind us and subsequently around us have been barely used and have been left vacant, allowing them to be vandalised and occupied by criminal elements. We cannot spend another eight years trying to establish how to secure private and public property while they deteriorate into lawlessness,” Macpherson said.

He said the departmental would appoint an independent panel to investigate the irregularities and present the findings within 60 days.

The key aims of the panel will be to find out:

– What led to the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure buying the complex and whether the purchase was necessary at all.

– The processes followed to recruit contractors and whether the contractors were fit for the work.

– Whether the purchase of the complex was the best option available for the South African Police Services (Saps)

– Whether any officials should be held accountable for the position the department now finds itself in concerning the purchase of the buildings and renovations.

– Whether there are grounds to reclaim any monies paid to contractors and sub-contractors.

– Where work was done or not done satisfactorily according to building and health and safety standards.

– Advise the best way forward considering the current state of the buildings

– What steps could be taken to avoid a similar situation in the future.

“We simply cannot be spending hundreds of millions of rand to repair and address vandalism and poor planning and spending by the department. R650-million ten years ago is probably worth a billion rand today and I don’t know whether anyone else would have paid that on the open market. I’m not sure if the money was worth it. The other thing that has left me speechless is the vandalism and decay over time. It’s always shocking to see with your own eyes,” Macpherson said.

He said the public workers were supposed to have pride in the buildings they work in and not be under threat of unsafe conditions or harassment from criminals. He added that he understands why the building has become a joke in the country and why the public is angry and frustrated.

Brink said he welcomed the probe as he believed it affects residents’ quality of life.

“Buildings like this have an effect on the quality of life, the safety and the cleanliness in inner cities in particular. As the minister said, public works is the biggest property owner and as a city, we are committed to having a strong relationship with our property owners and I can only see things improving with the approach that we’ve taken,” he said.

Brink also mentioned the metro’s intent to not only look at the Telkom Towers, but at all derelict buildings in the metro.

“In our city, we are reviewing our derelict by-law which has come up against some constitutional challenges. Unfortunately, our eviction law in South Africa makes it incredibly difficult to get control back once you’ve lost it, once a building has been hijacked. You can follow the law, the criminals come in and occupy and we’re still bound by the law whereas those that took occupation were not anchored in the law at all,” Brink said.

He added that the metro will do its best to operate under the current framework and address decaying buildings and non-complying landlords.

Chief Director of security facilities at the towers, Robert Muthanyi, said the building struggles with vandals as it has been vacant for a long time.

“A building should be vacant for a short term, after three-six months, it will be occupied,” Muthanyi said.

He added that they work with unarmed contracted security guards due to a policy prohibiting security personnel from having firearms while guarding government buildings.

“The main challenge we experience is that there seem to be organised criminal syndicates that come here and mine, it’s not only nyaope boys or petty thieves after cables, it seems they are organised syndicates.”

Muthanyi said they work closely with the police, who make frequent arrests in this regard, however he also said those arrested don’t stay in jail too long and are back in no time, scavenging again. He says though security personnel have dogs and other means of securing the buildings, they are inundated with criminals due to their sheer size and not having firearms putting them at a disadvantage against those who do.

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