UPDATE: R79-m to renovate health HQ in Pretoria
Around R79.4-million will be spent to renovate the “unsafe” Civitas building in the Pretoria CBD, it was announced this week.
Around R79.4-million will be spent to renovate the “unsafe” Civitas building in the Pretoria CBD, it was announced this week.
The building currently houses the offices of the national department of health.
The decision comes after a stand-off spanning months, between the department and employees over poor conditions at the building.
“The scope of the works includes refurbishment of the waterproofing and skylight, mechanical, electrical and general building works,” said the department of public works and infrastructure spokesperson Thami Mchunu.
Renovations are set to be completed in April 2020, after they began earlier in the year.
READ MORE: UPDATE: Civitas death trap employees to be moved to another building
The latest safety concern at the building was over “black dust”.
Mchunu said, however, he was unaware of any “black dust” but said the department would investigate.
Renovations are set to be implemented despite a recent decision to move the department’s employees from Civitas to a different building.
This after the health department was due to find suitable accommodation in order to vacate the Civitas building.
The department of public works was expected to find the new accommodation for staff.
However, Mchunu said currently the focus was the maintenance of government assets and this included the renovation of the Civitas building.
He said the renovations were done because of “a number of reasons, including the nature of the client’s needs”.
According to a health department spokesperson, the department has not yet found any alternative accommodation for their Civitas staff.
“It appears that all the other buildings we looked at were misrepresentations,” said department of health spokesperson Popo Maja.
“All necessary renovations at Civitas are, however, going ahead unabated. Contractors are already on site.”
He said the main and “very important” renovation was the replacement of two chillers and the roof.
Maja said the chillers would ensure that aircons in the building were working properly again.
“Apparently, it takes three weeks, to complete installation of a chiller once delivered on site,” he said.
Earlier this year, staff raised safety and health concerns about the building.
Employees said the building suffered flooding during heavy rains due to multiple cracks and the roof had collapsed on an employee while sitting at her desk.
Maja said the department had tried “everything” to prove that the building was safe.
READ MORE: UPDATE: Civitas frustrations over empty promises
“Numerous meetings took place between organised employees, the labour department, and health and public works.
“At the meetings it was agreed that all the parties will concentrate on a common goal, namely relocating to a new building.”
Since the start of renovations, health department employees have been working in the building without protest.
National health department Nehawu chairperson Lusizo Ratya earlier in the year, “we have asked for an alternative building and a search for a safer building started, but nothing has been presented to us as a potential alternative”.
“This means the department is not fast-tracking the process and various other departments are also not playing their roles.”
He said construction was also taking place in the building while employees were working.
“This is frustrating. The dust is affecting employees. Management has never held a meeting with us to inform us about the construction,” he said.
The building was declared safe for occupation by the Tshwane emergency services earlier the year.
“We found that the building meets minimum fire safety requirements,” said Tshwane emergency service spokesperson Charles Mabaso.
“We looked at escape doors, whether fire extinguishers were working and not expired, fire suppression systems and the likes.”
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