Plans afoot for KZN legislature offices
The plan for an office park aimed to house KZN departments and the legislature in Pietermaritzburg is being revived.
|||Durban - The plan for an office park aimed at housing KZN departments and the legislature in Pietermaritzburg is being revived.
The provincial goverment’s executive council last week visited the site earmarked for the development plan near Townhill Hospital.
The move has prompted the DA to question whether the ANC-led provincial government was making an about turn on cost-cutting measures.
“Certainly, KZN’s cost-cutting steps ring hollow with the provincial government now seemingly hell bent on relocating its parliamentary precinct – a move which has no benefit to the people of the province,” the DA’s Francois Rodgers said on Tuesday.
He estimated the costs of the new legislature alone at R1 billion.
Rodgers said the resuscitation of the office park plan, which dates back to a few years ago, had not been brought to the attention of the legislature, including the finance portfolio committee he serves on.
Provincial government spokesman, Thami Ngwenya, confirmed last week’s visit to the site after the executive council was briefed on a feasibility study.
Ngwenya said there was no anomaly in the site visit.
“There are still a number of processes that are yet to be undertaken including consultations between the Department of Public Works, provincial Treasury and national Treasury.
“The matter will also have to go to the planning and infrastructure committee chaired by MEC (Mike) Mabuyakhulu for discussion and inputs by all relevant stakeholders involved in the process.”
Ngwenya said the matter would also be taken to the KZN legislature for a mandate.
“The final decision will take into account what is in the best interest of the people of KwaZulu-Natal; among these, investment in the economy of the province and its capital as well as efficiencies that such decision would facilitate in government and its provision of services to the people.
“Anything else without looking at what the final feasibility study will say, including the suitable funding model, is nothing but jumping the gun,” he said.
The turn of events comes almost two years after former MEC Ina Cronje allocated R600 million in the 2016/17 budget for the office park.
The amount was allocated pending feasibility studies and approval by the executive council of the construction.
Last year R5m was set aside for another feasibility study after earlier ones were never implemented owing to financial considerations.
On Tuesday, Ngwenya said a feasibility study that looked into cost-implications and funding model, had been completed.
Ngwenya was adamant that the proposed development would benefit the provincial government, which was spending a fortune on office rentals.
“There is a real shortage of office space,” he said.
The move also comes in the wake of a Daily News report in July that the Office of the Premier (OTP) was pushing for construction of its own office block at a site behind where it is now housed.
“What was referred was for the OTP, but once you have the government precinct on the table all will be factored in,” he said.
But, Rodgers said Premier Senzo Mchunu should decide what his cabinet’s priorities were.
“Either they are to improve the lives of KZN’s people with service delivery and sustained economic development through job creation. Or they are to improve the lives of MPLs and create his own ‘legacy’ in the form of an expensive building,” he said.
Daily News
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