The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) raised its objection to the decision by the Tshwane Metro Council to write off R63 million spent on renovating the Pretoria City Hall as a fruitless expenditure.
The renovations to the historical building commenced in 2015, but were never completed.
The City Hall was built in 1935 and is not only a monument to the city’s rich history, but also a beacon of heritage and community pride. Despite its historical importance, the renovation project remains unfinished, unfunded and without any prospects of ever being completed.
The R62 981 422 squandered on this project is totally unacceptable.
A forensic audit found that corruption and financial irregularities, perpetrated by officials, played a major role in this.
Although it was recommended that disciplinary steps be taken and even criminal complaints be lodged against those implicated, almost no progress has been made in the last decade.
Meanwhile, the project, which was listed as an asset under construction, also showed no progress since 2016. On the contrary, it has decayed due to repeated burglaries, theft of heritage items and vandalism.
The Freedom Front Plus is urgently calling on the city to take decisive action by:
• Finalising disciplinary action against the relevant officials.
• Blacklisting the contractor, NTSHADI-consortium, and taking decisive steps against the company to recover lost funds.
• Revising the feasibility of completing the City Hall renovation project by looking into alternative financing mechanisms or partnerships to get the work done.
The party will not allow such failures to define the city’s legacy.
It is time to take action, to recover losses, and restore the city’s pride and integrity.
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