Question NW787 to the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure
25 May 2020 - NW787
Graham, Ms SJ to ask the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure
In light of the fact that her Department has been tasked with identifying potential quarantine sites for the Covid-19 crisis, what (a) is the mandate of her Department with regard to (i) ensuring suitability of identified sites with the requirements of the Department of Health, (ii) the upgrading of sites to ensure their habitability and (iii) equipping sites with beds, bedding and other requirements and (b) are the costs associated with any of the specified activities?
Reply:
Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure
On 18 March 2020 Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs issued regulations of Section 27 (2) of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 and new regulations were published on 29 April 2020.
Regulation 7(3) of the Regulations published on 29 April 2020 mandates the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure concurrently with the Members of the Executive Council responsible for Public Works and the accounting officers of municipalities to identify and make available sites to be used as isolation and quarantine facilities as the need arises.
- (i) The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) is responsible for repairing and refurbishing sites from the Department’s immovable asset register which have been approved by Department of Health (DoH) as meeting the basic requirements to serve as quarantine or isolation site. Provinces and Municipalities are responsible for sites they identify. The DoH ensure the suitability of privately owned sites.
- DPWI upgrades identified sites from the Department’s immovable asset register which have been approved by the DoH to ensure habitability. The Department only executes the upgrading project upon approval of the site by the DoH as meeting the basic requirements.
- DPWI provide beds and linen for sites from the Department’s immovable asset register that have been assessed and approved by the Department of Health as suitable to be used as quarantine or isolation sites.
- From the list of 39 sites, two were approved by the Department of Health and the total costs associated with:
- repair and refurbishment is R4 266 453.64
- provision of beds and linen is R737 291.45