Ceiling caves in at council chambers
MILLIONS of rands are in the balance following massive rainwater intrusion of the City of uMhlathuze council chambers and committee rooms at Richards Bay Civic Centre, possibly linked to blocked guttering.
In March, the municipality approved R13-million to repair the leaking council chamber roof, but before work was completed, the recent heavy rains destroyed the newly-renovated roof. Parts of the ceiling caved in, causing rain water to flood the council meeting room, rendering it temporarily unusable.
The cost of damage - which may ultimately exceed the R13-million, is yet to be quantified and it is unclear if the municipality will have to foot the bill for repairs.
However, city spokesperson Bongani Gina is convinced repairs will be completed before the end of the week.
“The damage is minor. There was a leak and part of the roof collapsed, however, that part will be fixed by next week. Everything, including the seats and mics, is safe,” said Gina.
He confirmed that a private contractor appointed initially to repair the leaking roof was still on site when the new damage occurred.
“The renovations were completed on the inside of the council chamber, but they were still busy on the outside roof,” said Gina.
In March, city manager Nkosenye Zulu revealed that the refurbishment cost the municipality R13million, and was necessitated by water damage to the roof during the previous year.
Zulu revealed this after a fire that destroyed the municipal dining hall attached to the council chambers earlier this year.
The ZO has been informed by a reliable source that the burnt dining area remains gutted.
At the time, Zulu said a company was appointed to repair the roof as, when the new administration took office, the roof leaked each time there was rain, and the entire building was susceptible to water damage.