ICC not sinking – MPs assured
SITEKI – Members of Parliament (MPs) are concerned with the rumours making the rounds that the almost complete International Convention Centre (ICC) in Ezulwini is sinking.
During the debate of the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development Second Quarter Performance Report tabled by Chairman of the ministry’s portfolio committee Mduduzi Magagula on Wednesday, Nhlambeni MP Manzi Zwane asked the ministry if the rumours were true that the ICC was sinking. Present during the presentation and debate of the report were Economic Planning Minister Dr Thambo Gina and a team of managers from the ministry.
In response, the minister said there was a rumour that the Five Star Hotel was sinking not the ICC. He said the hotel building would never sink because it was founded on a 1 015 piles driven to form part of the structure. He said any pressure of water or underground water to possibly affect the structural integrity was considered.
“So these rumours are not true but are deliberate and misleading,” he said.
He said the ministry would soon be working on the interior fittings of the hotel and cladding the hotel outside. He further promised the members of the portfolio committee that they would be taken for a site visit in due course.
The minister also noted that he would, from now onwards, include members of the portfolio committee in his travelling trips. He also told the portfolio committee members that the ministry would soon embark on a census for Agriculture beginning next month, with the recruitment process having already started.The minister said phase one of the process would be for three months, starting in December and ending in February next year while phase two would begin in March, ending in August and would last for a period of six months next year.
He said the Household Income and Expenditure Survey was set to begin in January next year for a period of 12 months.
Also present were Principal Secretary (PS) Thabsile Mlangeni, Chief Economist Sifiso Mamba, Director of Millennium Project Patrick Mnisi, Principal Statistician Thembinkosi Shabalala and Micro-Projects Director Sibusiso Mbingo.