‘There is little to show for the money’: Joburg city library renovations R32 million over budget

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has condemned the significant money spent by the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) for the refurbishments of the Johannesburg City Library.

DA Emfuleni North Constituency Head, Kingsol Chabalala on Monday said the library is a vital community resource.

He added that it is disheartening that its refurbishment is prolonged due to poor management by the City of Johannesburg (CoJ).

“During the DA‘s inspection of the Joburg City Library on 22 August 2024, we were informed that the library would partially reopen in six months.

“Given that the library was initially scheduled to reopen in June 2024, it is difficult to believe this commitment will be met, but the JDA has since pushed that deadline to March 2025,” he said.

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DA raises alarm over R32 million budget overrun

Furthermore, Chabalala added that there is little to show for the money spent so far, and questioned whether the increased scope of work will achieve the desired effect.

According to Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), Jacob Mamabolo, the city, through the JDA, has paid the appointed contractor Moago Construction and a team of professionals a total amount of R22.85 million for phase one of the project.

He further revealed that the CoJ, through the JDA, has awarded the construction contract for phase two of the project to Dignity/Qhawe Joint Venture for a contract value of R54.88 million. This amount excludes professional fees and fees charged by the JDA.

Chabalala said that the funds spent on both phases significantly exceed the initial scope of work estimated at R45.45 million excluding VAT.

According to The Citizen’s calculations, the R22.85 million spent on phase one and R54.88 million projected for phase two add up to R77.73 million, subtracting the initial scope equals R32.28 million.

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‘Mismanagement of funds’ says DA

MEC Mamabolo said the work completed by Moago Construction included building assessment, heritage impact assessment, roof and skylight repairs, gutter and downpipe replacement, electrical system upgrades, and fire safety planning.

“The scope of the work to be done by Dignity/Qhawe Joint Venture includes building construction (alterations, waterproofing, carpentry, ceilings, metalwork, glazing, painting), mechanical systems (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), and electrical systems (installation of electrical wiring, fixtures, and components),” he added.

The DA expressed worry over the recurrence of activities that were purportedly finished in Phase 1, such as electrical system modifications, in Phase 2.

“This unsettling duplication suggests the possibility of mismanagement of public funds that merits a thorough investigation to ensure accountability and integrity in the project’s execution.”

Additionally, the DA demands that the MEC for Cogta initiate an urgent investigation into the suspicious duplication and implement the recommendations.

“The DA will continue to exert pressure on MEC Jacob Mamabolo to ensure library management meets its timeline for the library’s partial reopening and full operation.

“We will conduct a follow-up oversight inspection of the library to evaluate the progress, and the commitments made,” Chabalala added.

The DA is committed to ensuring the library becomes a welcoming and fully operational space for all Gauteng residents. We will not rest until this is achieved.

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