R5m upgrade for EL City Hall
AN UPGRADE is on the cards for the East London City Hall in the next financial year.
R5-million for the upgrade is set aside in Buffalo City Metro’s 2012-2015 draft budget.
According to the provincial report, the money will come from funds generated by the municipality.
The first R2-million will be spent in the financial year starting in July and a further R3-million will be spent the following year.
BCM will reportedly spend another R1.5-million for a backup generator for the building.
“The capital for the next three years also makes provision for the purchase of an electronic attendance control system that will cost R5-million, with R500 000 of this being spent in the next financial year,” part of the report read. BCM chief whip Sangweni Matwele confirmed the renovations.
“The building is very old. So there are many things that need fixing, including the roof,” Matwele said.
Councillors from opposition parties said they welcomed the upcoming renovations.
Cope’s Khayalandile Twalingca said: “There is a lot wrong with that building. The renovations are really needed because when it rains, the roof leaks.”
Jerome Mdyolo of the PAC said the council had taken a resolution to renovate the city hall ages ago because it was necessary.
“The structure of the building will not be changed because the heritage needs to be preserved.”
He said there was more to the city hall than just a “hall” because the mayor and speaker’s offices were located there too.
“So it is bad that the place leaks the way it does. One time, documents in the speaker’s office were soaked because the office was leaking due to heavy rain. And that is unacceptable,” he said.
“This is a priority because the city hall is the face of BCM. We are also anticipating that alternative accommodation will be needed while the renovations are under way,” Mdyolo added.
Although questions were sent to the metro regarding the planned upgrade, BCM spokesman Samkelo Gqeba had not responded at the time of going to press. — siyab@dispatch.co.za