Question NW1972 to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services
11 November 2022 - NW1972
Breytenbach, Adv G to ask the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services
What is the proposed time line for the replacement of the air conditioning system at the Supreme Court of Appeal that has been out of order for years, since repair is impossible due to a complete lack of maintenance (details furnished)?
Reply:
There is a term contract in place with the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure which covers for the repair and service of the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system. The contract commenced on 01 April 2021, and is due to expire in April 2023.
The Court Manager of the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) has advised that the project instruction to replace chillers and the air conditioning units at the SCA has been issued to the Free State Regional Office of the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) on 18 February 2022. The assigned project manager, held a site briefing meeting between the Supreme Court of Appeal and the professional team from the DPWI Head Office on 12 May 2022. The commissioned engineers conducted a conditional assessment of the HVAC system.
However, due to the fact that the system is very old, the HVAC system has a history of continuous breakdowns and it was therefore recommended that the system be replaced due to lack or unavailability of spares since the system is too old. The system was repaired in numerous occasions without any lasting or long-term solutions.
Currently, there is a plan to replace HVAC system, and the project is in planning phase. The DPWI confirmed that the tender processes will commence in the 2022/2023 (December 2022/January 2023) Financial Year and that the project is earmarked to be completed in the 2024/2025 Financial Year.