Question NW2314 to the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure
25 November 2021 - NW2314
Sarupen, Mr AN to ask the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure
(1)Whether, with regard to the Kwa-Thema Police Station leased by her department from the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, she has been informed that (a) in terms of the lease agreement the responsibility for the maintenance of the facility rests with her department, (b) the Department of Employment and Labour has closed off large sections of the station as they are deemed to be an unsafe working environment and (c) if the station closes, the Kwa-Thema community will not have a police station; if not, in each case, why not; if so, what are the relevant details in each case; (2) what are the reasons that her department does not track the state of infrastructure for which it is responsible; (3) on what date will critical maintenance and repairs be undertaken and expedited so that her department is not the cause of the community losing access to police services?
Reply:
The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure:
1, 2 and 3
I’ve been informed by the Department that in terms of the lease agreement the Lessor is responsible for the repairs and maintenance. The Department of Labour and Employment has closed the detectives’ offices which has been substituted by park homes.
The Department approached the Municipality on the 09th of October 2018, requesting approval to place additional park homes as a temporary solution. This request of placing additional park homes has not yet approved by the Municipality. Furthermore, the Department approached the municipality on the 04th of December 2017 to consider disposing the building to the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure so that full maintenance and upgrades can be performed by this Department.
The Department will send out a team of building inspectors on 24 November 2021 to do an assessment report, and will be guided by the report regarding the urgent maintenance requirements.