Nigel Town Hall closed again

The state of the Nigel Town Hall has been a topic of dismay and continues to be as HERAUT was recently informed that the hall is again in desperate need of repair.

In the August 16, 2017, edition of HERAUT it was reported that the town hall would be opened again on September 1 that year, after it was closed due to the stage collapsing in 2011.

Repairs to the stage, faulty plumbing systems and water leaks, the replacement of damaged box guttering and worn stage curtain decorations along with repairs to the damaged doors was some of the work done on the town hall before its reopening in 2017.

A renovation inspection before the reopening on August 11, 2017, also confirmed the installation of burglar bars, a CCTV security system and the refurbishment of the stage and tiling of the floors.

The town hall was closed again to the public in 2020 due to the leaking roof and a collapsing ceiling.

When asked about the continuous deterioration of the town hall, Wollaston Labuschagne, the DA ward councillor for Nigel (Ward 88) answered:

“Since the hall’s reopening in 2017 there was little maintenance done but it was still available to the public for booking, but the past two year’s rains and the gutters that were never repaired caused a lot of damage.

“The hall had to be closed again in 2020 for the public’s safety.

“I communicated with the municipality’s Department of Health and Social Development regarding the list of damages to the town hall’s interior.

“Communication confirmed that the ceiling and gutters have to be repaired, non-functional bulbs have to be replaced, the kitchen’s stove and geyser have to be repaired, broken windows need to be replaced and minor plumbing has to be done.”

Labuschagne also indicated that the Sports Heritage Recreation Arts and Culture (SHRAC) Department, who is responsible for the repairs was unable to provide him with the timeliness of the repairs, due to the work being carried out by another department in the CoE, the Real Estate Department (Red).

“I further enquired after the council chambers and found that they are not available for bookings either, because the PA system is not functional,” Labuschagne further explained.

“As a result of water seepage, both the carpet and PA system in the chamber have been damaged and require replacement.

“Because of this, I have added the town hall’s maintenance and repairs to my Integrated Development Planning (IDP) list for the year 2021 and 2022,” Labuschagne said.

Besides the destitute state of the actual building, the town hall’s gardens also needed attention. A contractor was appointed by the Red in October last year to maintain the gardens around the town hall, however, the frequency of the maintenance largely depends on the available budget as well as the responsiveness of the Red.

Since the lockdown restrictions were eased last year, the group known as I love Nigel has continually cleaned and maintained the gardens around the town hall as previously reported in the HERAUT editions of October 14, 2020, and February 10, 2021.

“The Nigel Town Hall was once the pride of our town and we are concerned about the state and lack of repairs,” said Aileen Ceronio, spokesperson of the I love Nigel group.

“Although I am aware of, and truly appreciate the #I love Nigel initiative and their efforts in cleaning and keeping the town clean, I fear that their efforts undermine the taxpayer system while also taking responsibility away from the municipality,” said Labuschagne.

“This is because when the contractors appointed by the municipality arrive to maintain the garden, it has already been done but they still get paid, whilst the #I Love Nigel group maintains the gardens on their own expenses along with donations from other businesses.”

HERAUT was prevented from taking pictures within the town hall itself.

Feedback regarding the state of the Nigel Town Hall was requested from the City of Ekurhuleni on May 3, 2021. However, no answer has yet been received.