Question NW2147 to the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure
09 June 2022 - NW2147
Van Dyk, Ms V to ask the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure
(1)With reference to the reply of the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture to question 299 on 19 March 2021, which indicates that she has been appointed as the custodian of the immovable assets which vested within the national sphere of government and is thus the caretaker of the state-owned building Iziko Old Townhouse (IOTH) in terms of the Government Immovable Asset Management Act, Act 19 of 2007 (details furnished), (a) on what date will the (i) electrical and other problems of the Old Town House be fixed and (ii) building be reopened to the public, (b) who is the person responsible for maintenance of the specified house and (c) what has she found to be the reasons that the maintenance of the IOTH has not been done; (2) whether there is a timeline for the completion of the upgrading; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure:
(1) a)
(i) I have been informed by the Department that the following repairs are funded by the Department of Sport Arts and Culture:
Phase 1: Repair and maintenance was completed by 30 March 2022 and this was the external painting of the entire building & boundary wall including repairs of the ceiling that collapsed, bird proofing, replacement of broken windows and window frames, sanding and varnishing of doors.
Phase 2: Further repairs and maintenance are in progress. The contractor is on site undertaking the work, including the electrical upgrade. The estimated completion for all the infrastructural work is end of November 2022.
(ii) The estimated completion for all the infrastructural work is end November 2022. Thereafter the artworks, other collections and new installations will be reinstalled by the Curatorial Team. The aim is to reopen the IOTH to the public during Heritage Week 2023.
b) The client is responsible for maintenance work up to R1 million.
c) As indicated above repairs and maintenance are in progress, the contractor is on site undertaking the work.
(2) The estimated completion for all the infrastructural work is end November 2022