It's Makana Municipality's fault that the new R68 million police station in Joza is still out of operation.
The state-of-the-art facility was completed in December, but it has no power supply and the national Department of Public Works places the blame squarely on the municipality.
It's Makana Municipality's fault that the new R68 million police station in Joza is still out of operation.
The state-of-the-art facility was completed in December, but it has no power supply and the national Department of Public Works places the blame squarely on the municipality.
In response to questions from Grocott's Mail, Public Works said this week that a request had been made to the municipality last year for a crucial document, known as the Permission to Occupy.
Without this form, Eskom will not consider providing an electricity supply.
Public Works property management director Mayan Mangia said they would again make an urgent appeal for the municipality to issue the form. "Failing which an appeal will be made directly to the Mayor of the Municipality," Mangia said in his emailed response.
Explaining the official processes, Mangia said in order for a request to be made to Eskom for an electrical connection to be provided on one of the properties within the portfolio of the National Department of Public Works, the following must take place:
- The subject property must be registered in the name of National Government of South Africa;
- In the event that the subject property is not yet registered in the name of National Government, a Permission to Occupy (PTO), the subject property (only allowed in extreme cases) must be obtained from the owner – in this case Makana Municipality;
- The subject property must then be captured on the department’s asset register and once it is captured on the department’s asset register the electrical connection can be requested from Eskom.
Mangia said the process of buying the land had been stalled due to errors found on the sale agreement.
The property had not been correctly described. This meant Public Works did not yet own the property and thus Eskom required permission from their "landlord", Makana Municipality.
These had to be rectified and would take more time than originally planned.
He said once the department receives the form, an urgent application will be made to the asset register unit at head office to capture this property on to the system.
"Thereafter the application can be made to Eskom for the electrical connection," Mangia said.
He said he wanted to reassure the Grahamstown community that every effort would be made to resolve the matter.
Municipal spokesman Mncedisi Boma had not replied to questions about the missing document at the time of going to press.
Provincial police spokesman Lieutenant Khaya Tonjeni said Grocott's Mail's questions about the police station had been forwarded to the department.
