Question NW4248 to the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure
01 December 2022 - NW4248
Zondo, Mr S S to ask the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure
(1)Whether, in light of the fact that her department handed over 12 buildings between December 2019 and March 2020 to the Provincial Departments of Social Development of Gauteng and the Western Cape for use as shelters for gender-based violence victims, and in view of reports that her department has spent R1 960 411,84 to date on building and garden renovations for the six buildings in Gauteng while the buildings remain closed and unoccupied, she will furnish Mr S S Zondo with the details and/or an update on the occupation of the shelters by the Gauteng Department of Social Development; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) whether her department plans to retrieve some of the funds spent on the shelter whilst it remained unoccupied by the Gauteng Department of Social Development; if not, why not; if so, what are the further, relevant details?
Reply:
The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure:
1. I have been informed that the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI), the respective Provincial Departments of Social Development (DSD), and their respective Infrastructure Departments; after having engaged extensively, have agreed that the method of disposal of these shelters will be that of Donation. In the meantime, all parties have resolved that User Agreements will be signed. The signing of the User Agreements will enable DSD to occupy the aforementioned properties. The Agreements have been prepared and are being signed by the various parties.
2. DPWI is mandated to ensure that its assets are safeguarded and kept in good condition at all times. Furthermore, DPWI intends to provide the properties in a habitable state and ready for DSD to use by victims of gender-based violence and femicide.
DPWI will not be recovering any funds from DSD, due to the fact that the delay in occupation is not due to any of the Departments’ doing, but rather the fact that the three departments needed to finalize the governance structure of how the properties will be managed. It has now been agreed that the properties will be donated to the user departments and that User Agreements will be signed in the meantime as a governance structure to allow DSD to use the properties.