Question NW3613 to the Minister of Public Service and Administration
04 December 2015 - NW3613
Van der Westhuizen, Mr AP to ask the Minister of Public Service and Administration
(1)(a) When did the lease agreement for the previous office accommodation for the National Office of the Public Service Commission lapse, (b) has the process to find new accommodation for the Office of the Public Service Commission commenced and (c) when is it expected that the staff of the Office of the Public Service Commission will be moving to the new office accommodation; (2) is his department giving any (a) financial and/or (b) other support to the Office of the Public Service Commission in respect of the commission’s repeated relocation; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) why is the Office of the Public Service Commission currently making use of temporary office accommodation?
Reply:
(1) (a) The lease agreement for the previous office accommodation for the National Office of the Public Service Commission (PSC) (Commission House) expired on 31 January 2012.
(b) Yes, the initial request forwarded to the Department of Public Works (DPW) on 29 October 2010 was that the lease agreement should be extended for a period of five (5) years as the building was still suitable and met the requirements of the Public Service Commission (PSC). The PSC experienced challenges with the renewal process.
Seeing that there were delays with the renewal of the lease as well as the fact that the PSC had reached the optimal occupancy of the building, the PSC requested the DPW to procure alternative office accommodation in July 2012.
In order to allow the DPW to commence with the procurement process of the alternative accommodation, the PSC agreed that the lease agreement be renewed for a further period of eighteen (18) months to ensure that PSC relocate into the new alternative office building on 1 April 2014.
DPW then commenced with the procurement process and a building was identified as a suitable alternative accommodation for the PSC and a lease agreement was signed. However, during tenant installation process there were concerns raised by the PSC e.g. additional costs to be borne by the PSC relating to tenant installation. This resulted in the process being suspended by the DPW. Due to the dispute, the PSC did not take occupation of the building.
Furthermore, the PSC forwarded another request to DPW in June 2015, after receiving notice to vacate Commission House, to commence with sourcing the alternative accommodation. To date, the PSC has not received an update from DPW on this matter. The PSC has requested the Minister for Public Works to intervene.
(c) The lease agreement for the interim accommodation is for a period of 18 months, with an exit clause in the event a new building is procured before the expiry date of 18 months.
(2) (a) The PSC has not received any financial support from the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) as the request for additional funding was forwarded to National Treasury.
(b) The PSC has not received any other support from the DPSA as the PSC is interacting directly with DPW and National Treasury.
(3) The National Office of the PSC moved to ABSA Towers in July 2015, as an interim arrangement between PSC and DPW until such time that suitable permanent office accommodation has been sourced. The contract for the previous building (Commission House) was on a month to month basis and the landlord gave the PSC notice to vacate the premises as the landlord wanted to refurbish the building.