Condition of Parliamentary villages

PUBLIC WORKS PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
10 MAY 2000
BRIEFING BY THE DEPARTMENT ON THE CONDITION OF THE PARLIAMENTARY VILLAGES

Documents handed out:
Copy of slide presentation (Appendix 1)

SUMMARY
The department delivered a slide presentation on the conditions of the Parliamentary Villages, which outlined the costs of maintenance and services rendered to the Parliamentary Villages, as well as the problems experienced in the Cape Town Regional Office of the Prestige Portfolio.

MINUTES
Mr Greg MacMaster from the Department of Public Works delivered a slide presentation on the conditions of the Parliamentary Villages. He outlined the provision of housing at the three parliamentary villages by giving a breakdown of the units. Acacia Park has 546 units, which consists of 206 flats and 340 houses. Pelican Park has 108 units, which consists of 6 offices and 102 houses. Laboria Park has 65 units, which consists mostly of two and three bedroomed houses and four offices. He informed the committee that housing was allocated proportionally to the size of the political party in Parliament.

Mr MacMaster informed the committee of the following services rendered to parliamentary villages:
Scheduled (planned) maintenance costing R1 072 974 pa;
Unscheduled (unplanned) day to day maintenance costing R1 009 504 pa.;
Capital Services which include building new houses and extensions to buildings;
Supply and maintenance of furniture, curtains, carpets costing R1 358 152 pa.;
Municipal services costing R364 312pa.;
Cleaning of general areas;
Transport service costing R1 033 384pa.;
Sport and Club facilities.
The total cost for these services are R9 130 930, while the possible rental income amounts to R1 614 328.

The planned maintenance allocation for the prestige portfolio for 2000/1 is R4 771 000, with a total carried over of R1 565 493. The new services in the village, which includes replacing water pipes amounted to R2 220 240. There are no further funds available for 2000/1 for the Parliamentary Villages.

Human Resources has been identified as a weakness of the Cape Town Regional Office Prestige Portfolio. Here they experienced problems with regard to staff shortages, lack of expertise, lack of training and low morale as a result of outsourcing.

Vandalism of the residences has been identified as a serious problem, especially since it can easily be avoided and the costs could be used elsewhere. The following incidents of vandalism, damage and problems were noted: 6 swimming pool pumps burnt out, breaking of windows (on one occasion 30 windows were broken at Acacia Park), damage/removal of sign boards, damaged bollards, lamp posts damaged, removal/damage of automatic irrigation, stones/rubble/furniture in swimming pools, graffiti/damage to bus shelter, residents dumping trash from flat windows, disturbance of the peace (with resultant damage to State Property), residents damaging furniture, curtains and carpets, lost keys - security risks and problems recovering costs from tenants, lack of police escorts for contractors, present system of procurement of day-to-day maintenance contractors (ECDP/Quotations), lack of integrated maintenance management system (plan to install a computer system) and a spider problem at Pelican Park.

The Department said that there is no light ahead in the tunnel with regard to maintenance, because in theory it is a three-year cycle, while in practice it is a yearly cycle. The Department has found possible solutions to these problems, which includes addressing human resource and financial constraints, implementation of policy of long term maintenance plans for all facilities, three year budgetary cycle, residents stay home to allow contractors access to overcome escorting problem, and to appoint a facilities management service provider.

Discussion
Chief Hlengwa asked the Department how many criminals have been apprehended and sentenced with regard to vandalism and criminal activity to the Parliamentary Villages.

Mr Chikane (ANC) felt that there is a power struggle between the Members of Parliament and the personnel. He asked why the resident committee does not provide for a health inspector, which is a requirement by law. He suggested that when residents fail to keep their house clean, the inspector can report the matter to the Resident Committee who will in turn refer the matter to the respective political party. Mr Chikane complained that non-residents had access to the parks and held parties till the early morning hours. He requested that the Department of Public Works use alternative facilities.

He noted that the police did not effectively control access to the Villages, because cars without discs were allowed to enter the premises.
Mr Chikane said that most MPs had extended family living with them, who just hang around the residence creating an inconvenience. He noted that people who in terms of regulations are not supposed to be in the village, reside there. He said that people creating problems should be thrown out, members should declare their tenants, and insist that cars should be parked in the prescribed parking lot because it created a dangerous fire hazard and untidied the yard.

Ms O Kasienyane (ANC) suggested that an inventory of the residence be taken to assist in the control and planning of the residence. She raised concern about the fact that MPs with large families lived in the smaller one and two bedroomed houses.

Mr E Sigwela (ANC) noted that the Department has budgeted for the maintenance of buildings, and asked how the inspection of buildings was conducted.

Mr B Radebe (ANC) complained about the poor and old condition of the busses used at Laboria Park.

Mr Mac Master responded to the questions:
He said that the Department has been advised to award contracts to previously disadvantaged contractors. He empasised that because there was an urgent need for a contractor, they had employed the services of iKapa busses. Thereafter, they advertised for a tender, but due to the lack of response, they had to re-advertise and are still looking for a more competitive service. Mr MacMaster found Mr Radebe's statement surprising because iKapa has the biggest bus service company in Cape Town (it is not a disadvantaged contractor).

All planned and unplanned maintenance work is inspected by the technical people concerned, such as building inspectors, mechanical and electrical technicians. Initially they had 101 inspectors, now there are 43. There is a staff shortage.

MPs always receive preference over session officials with regard to housing and size allocation. The number of dependents registered by that resident determines the size of the house allocated to the resident. If a resident initially only declared one dependant, and now has five other people living with them, they will have a problem with overcrowding as they failed to declare the other people.

Mr Mac Master suggested that legislation be enacted to enable MPs to take charge of the MP villages. The Board is only responsible for the services between Parliament and the villages.

Access of non residents is a police matter and they do not want to prescribe to them how to do their work. When a resident is not at home, the police deny access to the visitors. At Pelican Park and Laboria Park they are reluctant to apply strict access control, because the residents want their neighbours to have access to the recreation facilities, and do not want a feeling of exclusivity. They have decided to conduct an annual audit of members and residents.

Regarding the issue of safety, the brother of a bodyguard was involved in a gun shooting at the residence, and has been put out of the residence. Three teenagers between the ages of 17 and 18 were arrested when they burgled the house of a former Minister's bodyguard. At the AGM of Acacia Park, the committee decided that there is a responsibility on residents to be accountable and accept responsibility for their residence. The Department urged all residents to report incidents of vandalism because the facilities provided are for the comfort of all the residents.

Mr Radebe complained about the attitude of some of the bus drivers towards the MPs; it has already reached the stage were angry exchanges had already taken place.

Mr S Abram (UDM) asked why there is a general decline of the Parliamentary Villages, and enquired whether it is an issue of adequate funding. He said that the assets of the state are the people's assets. He requested that an assessment of the real needs be identified and completed. Mr Abram said that it is better to maintain and look after the assets, than to replace them at a later stage.

Mr Ma Master informed the committee that extensive damage has been done to the recreational facilities. Six swimming pool pumps were burnt out because bottles and food were thrown into the swimming pool. He also emphasised the great costs incurred as a direct result of vandalism at the residences.

Mr Monsamy said that political parties should assist in resolving the problems at these residences.

Mr Chikane concluded by asking residents to discipline their household and accept responsibility.

Appendix 1
Slide presentation
PRESENTATION ON THE PARLIAMENTARY VILLAGES
BY THE REGIONAL MANAGER, CAPE TOWN
10 May 2000

PROVISIONING OF HOUSING AT THE PARLIAMENTARY VILLAGES
Parliamentary Villages
Acacia Park = 546 units
· Flats = 206
Bachelor flats = 112
One-bedroom flats = 68
Two-bedroom flats = 26
· Houses = 340
One-bedroom houses = 67
Two-bedroom houses = 131
Three-bedroom houses = 138
Four-bedroom houses = 1
Offices = 3

Pelican Park = 108 units
One-bedroom houses = 15
Two-bedroom houses = 38
Three-bedroom houses = 43
Four-bedroom houses = 5
Offices = 6

Laboria Park = 65 units
One-bedroom houses = 1
Two-bedroom houses = 30
Three-bedroom houses = 30
Offices = 4

SERVICES RENDERED TO PARLIAMENTARY VILLAGES
· Scheduled (planned) maintenance
· Unscheduled (unplanned) day to day maintenance
· Capital Services
· Supply and maintenance of furniture, curtains and carpets
· Waste removal
· Cleaning of general areas

PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED IN THE CAPE TOWN REGIONAL OFFICE PRESTIGE PORTFOLIO
Human Resources:
· Staff shortages
· Lack of expertise
· Lack of training
· Low morale as a result of outsourcing

Financial Constraints:
· Insufficient funds
· One year budgetary cycle, especially capital works and maintenance

General problems experienced:
Vandalism
· 6 swimming pool pumps burnt out
· breaking of windows
· damage/removal of sign boards
· damaged bollards
· Lamp posts damaged
· removal/damage of automatic irrigation
· stones/rubble/furniture in swimming pools
· graffiti/damage to bus shelters
· Residents dumping trash from flat windows
· Disturbance of the peace (with resultant damage to State Property)
· Residents damaging furniture, curtains and carpets
· Lost keys - security risks and problems recovering costs from tenants
· Lack of Police escorts for contractors
· Present system of procurement of day to day maintenance contractors (ECDP/Quotations)
· Lack of integrated maintenance management system
· Spider problem at Pelican Park

Possible solutions:
· Addressing human resource and financial constraints
· Implementation of policy of long term maintenance plans for all facilities
· Three year budgetary cycle
· Residents stay home to allow contractors access to overcome escorting problem
· Appointment of facilities management service provider
Alternative:
-Year contractors for day to day maintenance
-Additional Police escorts to be provided
· Tenants pay rental deposit to cover loss of keys and damage/loss of other State property