FOLLOW-UP: Contractor appointed to assess damage to Benoni Plaza
“The contractor has been appointed and will do assessments first before doing repairs.”
The City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) has appointed a contractor to assess the extent of the damage to the doors, windows and roof of the Benoni Plaza.
CoE spokesperson Zweli Dlamini confirmed to the Benoni City Times that the contractor will be sent to the facility to conduct the assessments this week.
“The works order was submitted to the real estate facilities management to appoint a service provider to fix the broken doors, water problems and roof leaks,” Dlamini said.
“The contractor has been appointed and will do assessments first before doing repairs,” he added.
In an earlier communication with the Benoni City Times, Dlamini mentioned the city had received a bid to lease the facility to curb illegal occupation.
When asked if the bid was successful, he said, “We are awaiting comments from the national and provincial treasuries to allow us to continue with Section 113 of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) of 2003 to go back to council for final approval,” said Dlamini.
Section 113 of the MFMA stipulates that:
1. A municipality or municipal entity is not obliged to consider an unsolicited bid received outside its normal bidding process.
2. If a municipality or municipal entity decides to consider an unsolicited bid received outside a normal bidding process, it may do so only following a prescribed framework.
3. The framework must strictly regulate and limit the power of municipalities and municipal entities to approve unsolicited bids received outside their normal tendering or other bidding processes.
The facility has been left to rot due to years of neglect, vandalism and illegal occupation. Earlier this year, there were water leaks that had flooded the underground part of the facility while the escalator, windows and doors are broken.
Eviction of tenants for compliance issues
Dlamini stated the current tenants who didn’t comply with the lease agreements have been served with eviction notices, adding that the eviction process has already begun.
“There is no lease agreement granted to anyone. There are lease agreements with individual shop occupiers. We are busy with eviction notices for those who have not complied with the lease agreement.”
Dlamini said the future tenant of the facility will use it for commercial purposes.
Also Read: Taxi drivers go after vagrants at Benoni plaza
Also Read: UPDATE: Plaza revamp is imminent
