MP Malebo Kobe and ActionSA MMC for Corporate and Shared Services, Cllr
Kholofelo Morodi, conducted a joint oversight at Telkom Towers photo supplied
ActionSA MP Malebo Kobe and ActionSA MMC for Corporate and Shared Services, Cllr
Kholofelo Morodi, conducted a joint oversight at Telkom Towers, GPG Building and the Old Naval Museum in Tshwane’s inner city yesterday, where they raised grave concerns about the state of public
infrastructure.
During the visit, it became clear that, ten years later and over R1 billion in costs, Telkom Towers remains a white elephant at the expense of taxpayers.
The Department of Public Works and
Infrastructure has once again dropped the ball in managing infrastructure and maximising it for public good.
MP Malebo Kobe and ActionSA MMC for Corporate and Shared Services, Cllr
Kholofelo Morodi, conducted a joint oversight at Telkom Towers photo supplied
Abandoned buildings in the inner city and across the country not only pose a severe safety risk but also represent a massive opportunity cost, where strategic leases and repurposing could generate significant revenue and contribute to urban rejuvenation.
ActionSA has identified public infrastructure as central to the revival of the Tshwane inner city.
This requires effective cooperation between all three spheres of government to ensure that buildings are not left abandoned but are repurposed and utilised for the benefit of communities.
The City of Tshwane’s newly established Bad Buildings Committee, chaired by MMC Morodi, has already identified 32 bad buildings between Steve Biko and Es’kia Mphahlele Drive.
A Problem Building By-Law will be tabled at Council this month to enable the City to take decisive action against private owners who abandon their properties.
These measures include hefty fines and
where owners cannot comply,expropriation to ensure that safety hazards are eliminated and opportunities for growth unlocked.
Of particular concern for MP Kobe is that, during an oversight visit in October, the Department of Public Works assured the portfolio committee that Telkom Towers was nearly ready for occupancy, with only a few outstanding Occupational Health and Safety issues.
From today’s oversight, it is evident
there is no plan in sight to conclude this matter.
It is no surprise that SAPS has since cancelled its lease and is demanding a refund for the hundreds of millions it has already paid into what has become a
financial black hole.
ActionSA will be filing a series of Parliamentary Questions to get to the bottom of the matter and ensure it is fully ventilated.
It is disappointing that the country’s biggest landlord continues to fail client departments, with a direct
impact on the delivery of critical services.
Empty and mismanaged buildings continue to fuel crime and urban decay, when they could instead be leveraged to stimulate economic growth.
By 2029, Tshwane has set an ambitious target to grow its economy by 3.9%.
This will only be possible if the crisis of abandoned buildings is addressed, and if national, provincial and local government work together to ensure that infrastructure is actively contributing to the safety, growth and prosperity of residents.