[ Home ] [ Speeches & statements ]

Madame Chair
Honourable Members

INTRODUCTION

In my supporting role to the Minister of Public Works, I exercise oversight on Prestige (government) accommodation. This includes the Union Buildings which houses the Presidency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Brynterion Estate which is an official residential complex that houses our President and Deputy President, Ministers and Deputy Ministers in Pretoria; the Parliamentary precinct, the Grootte Schuur, Walmer and other estates as well as Parliamentary Villages in Cape Town.

This indeed is our nation's family silver which should at all times be properly managed so that we could preserve and enhance its worth for posterity.

From time to time the Minister assigns other tasks to me over and above my primary one as a manifestation of the good team work which she has cultivated in the Ministry and Department. I will, accordingly, be reporting on some of these tasks during the course of my address.

PRESTIGE

A total of R43, 2 million was spent on Prestige accommodation last year and for the current financial year R98 million has been budgeted. (CT: R79m and PTA R19m)

This will enable us to properly manage this portfolio by measures such as:

The Facilities Management Contract

Since 1 May 2003, WSP Sidebene Facilities Management (PTY) Limited, who won this tender for R82, 26 million (R82 259 237.00) over two years in Cape Town, has been in full operation. This is an international company that has formed a joint venture with local companies, incorporating set socio-economic objectives. This joint venture is made up by:

* WSP Facilities Management SA (PTY) LTD
* ACG Architects & Development Planners
* GVK Siya Zama Building Contractors Cape (PTY) LTD
* Ubunye Engineering Services (PTY) LTD
* Nibu Construction & Project Management (PTY) LTD
* Premiere Business Capital (PTY) LTD.

They are working at Prestige office and housing accommodation, including the Parliamentary Precinct, VIP houses and Parliamentary Villages. The objective is to provide the expected day-to-day services as well as to attend to the backlog in maintenance.

This contract includes a Performance Monitoring System, Building Maintenance Plans, a Prioritised Preventative Maintenance & Life-Cycle Replacement Control Plan, an Emergency Repair Plan and a Planned Maintenance Programme.

At present the priority list on maintenance backlog is being finalised. The mammoth task of rectifying the backlog is anticipated to start within a few weeks.

The scope of work on this Facilities Management contract includes:

* Managing and controlling the provision of services
* Performance monitoring and evaluation of facilities and service delivery
* Establishment of a Call Centre
* Establishment of a State Property Asset Management and Information System
* Managing all types of capital and maintenance
* Also included are requirements in terms of the Presidential Health Plan.

In terms of the contract and after consultation with the SAPS, WSP's personnel have been security cleared in the same manner that all DPW employees are subjected to. This in effect means that not only will they be checked by SAPS but also by NIA.

Accessibility to people with disabilities

Public Works has also in the beginning of 2003, commenced with a project to upgrade existing facilities in Parliament with the aim of making the complex more accessible to people with disabilities.

The objectives of the project are:

* The provision of accessible ablution facilities to people with disabilities on every floor and the fair distribution of said facilities across genders. This process includes the simultaneous renovation of all existing facilities.
* The improvement of access between, and within the buildings with the provision of external wheelchair routes, ramps, improved lighting in public areas, improved signage and the modification of elevators to enable their operation by people with disabilities.
* And alterations to existing debating chambers, dining and conference rooms in order to accommodate wheelchair users.

The project is scheduled to run over a twelve month period and is expected to be completed by January 2004. The value of the contract is just more than R5 million (R 5 047 046.00)

Space planning and utilisation at the Parliamentary precinct

Madame Chair, Honourable Members, one more literally pressing issue Public Works is engaged in is the space planning and utilisation situation at the Parliamentary precinct.

Since 1994 the number of people working at Parliament has increased by more than 30%. Little attention has however been paid to the provision of office space, parking space etc. In accordance with Parliament's wish, a holistic approach to the requirements is taken. The project will include 120 Plein Street as well as consider all off-site functional units for accommodation on-site.

The Department has appointed a Specialist Space Management Consultant to investigate the use of space within the Parliamentary Precinct and the hired accommodation. This task must be completed within 6 months. The assignment includes investigating and must provide us with a status quo report in respect of

* Office Accommodation
* Committee Rooms & Boardrooms
* Auditoriums
* Chambers
* Vehicle Parking.

The South African Heritage Agency's approval will be obtained should any alterations or extensions become necessary to buildings with heritage status.

Parliamentary Villages

The crime rate at these villages, mainly in Acacia Park, is of unacceptable proportions and we are seriously working on solutions, together with the police. At least 10 arrests have been made in the preceding 12 months, the outcome of which we are still awaiting. Alarm systems have been installed at all the residences during 2002, but in addition further security measures are being introduced and considered, including:

* Physical search of all incoming and outgoing vehicles at the gates
* Investigating the introduction of an electronic access control system - although major resistance to this measure has been expressed by residents' committees in the past
* Looking into the installation of burglar bars at all residences
* Requesting the South African Police Services to increase the number of VIP Protection staff to ensure regular foot patrols
* We are conducting an occupancy audit at all three Parliamentary Villages, to compare the results to the information supplied by Members and sessional officials in their original application forms for accommodation.

These additional measures will increase the cost of security measures in Acacia Park from the existing R1, 5 million to an estimated R4 million.

For the remainder, the Parliamentary Villages will be taken care of under the facilities management contract I spoke about, I hope that Honourable Members have already experienced an improvement in service delivery, both through the call centre and in overall appearance of the parks.

FRAUD AWARENESS

Our departmental activities regarding fraud prevention continues. We have found the enticing of officials to collaborate with contractors in fraudulent conduct for, obviously, personal financial gain, to be the main occurrence. At present 11 disciplinary cases and 11 criminal cases are being dealt with. The strengthening of our implementation of findings through the Human Resource section is a challenge that we are aware of.

SPECIAL PROGRAMMES TO FIGHT CHOLERA AND HIV/AIDS

I am proud to report that on the Cholera Infrastructure Support Programme we have achieved a 100% expenditure on the almost R2 million allocated in 2002-2003, building 1 395 toilets and protecting numerous springs from contamination and the spreading of cholera. The socio-economic achievements include that 40% of the project budget went to community labour, 400 people got jobs, of whom 58% were women, 30% youth and 9% people with disabilities - this far exceeds our minimum targets in procurement.

The HIV/AIDS Infrastructure Support Programme achieved an overall expenditure of 95% on the just over R5 million allocated in 2002-2003. This programme extended over four provinces. Both Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal had 100% expenditure, whereas Limpopo is experiencing some delay and the Free State had a saving which has subsequently been used to procure trees for the project site.

IMMOVABLE ASSET MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK

A major policy development that affects all of government that we are currently dealing with is the Government-Wide Immovable Asset Management Framework.

The key purpose of this framework is to establish a set of minimum norms and standards in respect of the management of such immovable assets on a government-wide basis.

This will mean that national, provincial and local government will all work on the same basis, increasing efficiency, and that the taxpayer will know exactly how this large asset and economic driver is managed by the State.

Our plan is to have such a policy document translated into legislation in due course.

CONCLUSION

I trust that Honourable Members will support us in this important work to ensure that our government properties are indeed taken care of in such a fashion that we can leave our children a better world than the one which we inherited.

Issued by Ministry of Public Works

5 June 2003