Question NW612 to the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure
20 May 2020 - NW612
Van Staden, Mr PA to ask the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure
(1)what (a) is the estimated time frame to repair the damaged fencing of the border posts between the Republic and Zimbabwe at the Beitbridge border post, (b) will be the costs of the repairs and (c) what type of fencing (i) was damaged and (ii) will be used for repairs; (2) what measures will she put in place to ensure that the repaired fence will not be vandalised again; (3) whether she will make a statement on the matter?
Reply:
The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure:
The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure(DPWI) has informed me as follows:
1. (a) The timeframe to repair the damaged fence was one month.
(b) The tenders sum of the contractor was a projected R37 176 843.50
(c) (i) Town Planning Services issued a Provisional Site Clearance Certificate to allow for the maintenance of the fence. The existing fence was in bad condition, and it comprises of a fence with Razor Mesh, Coil Strips and Posts etc.
(ii) The particular project addresses the maintenance of the existing fence. The fence comprises of Tension Posts, Intermediate Posts, Straining wires, razor mesh and razor coils etc.
2. My Department has communicated as follows on the vandalism:
- The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) is responsible for security at the border fence.
- Following a breach of security, whereby the contractor’s material was allegedly stolen, I wrote a letter to the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans (dated 4 April 2020), requesting her assistance in assigning SANDF officials to patrol the border fence line.
- The response from the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans came through a letter dated 7 April 2020, and it states that the C SANDF has undertaken to direct the SANDF Joint Operations Division, to address this security challenge on an urgent basis. This will cover the area where the fence is being erected and reinforce the existing private security elements on site.
- The Director-General of DPWI wrote a letter to Secretary-General of Defence dated 15 April 2020 supplemented the Ministerial correspondences, requesting DOD Top Management to expedite patrol measures at this borderline
- A follow-up letter from the Director-General of DPWI to Secretary-General of Defence dated 27 April 2020, requested the DOD to intensify patrol at the borderline fence between RSA and Zimbabwe.
3. Yes, I will consider in due course. The South African National Defence Force is responsible in terms of the Defence Management Act.