POLOKWANE – The contractor that was appointed to finalise the new high court building in Polokwane has asked for an extension of two months to finalise his contract.
The contractor was to have finalised the contract by the end of this month. This was according to Phasha Makgolane, spokesperson for the Independent Development Trust (IDT), the implementing agent for the department of justice and constitutional development. Makgolane said last week that the IDT was still considering the request for extension.
Sanyati Munaka JV started construction of the high court building in 2009 but the contract for the high court was taken over by Gauteng company Siya Zama GVK Building Contractors in July 2013.
Construction on the court was halted in October 2012 when Sanyati Manuka JV, which had been granted two extensions to finish the contract, failed to reach deadlines. The contractor served the IDT with a letter of termination or release of contract on October 17. The expected date of completion was in 2012.
It was estimated that the building was 65% complete at the time they left the premises; eight months behind schedule. It took months for Siya Zama, who started work by the end of August 2013, to be appointed.
The court was expected to have been completed by the end of July 2014, then October 2014, but in the end Makgolane said it was to be finished by January 2015.
The initial contract amount was R400 million. The building comprises two structures situated on a super basement that can accommodate parking for 253 vehicles.
Block A consists of multiple regional high court rooms as well as 17 judges’ chambers and block B comprises seven floors of office space. The total floor area is 28 000m².
The court will accommo-date the master of the high court’s offices, a family advocate, the state advocate as well as a Legal Aid department.
