Relocation of Legislature won’t be a reality soon
The building of the new Legislature building in Polokwane, although approved by the Limpopo and national Treasury, is still far in the future.
POLOKWANE – This is according to Treasury Spokesperson, Sydwell Sibanda, who on Tuesday told Review a feasibility study is still underway to determine on two issues for the road ahead, namely if it is necessary and if the route of a Public Private Partnership will be followed.
The issue of relocating the legislature to Polokwane has been on the cards for more than a decade, as it will allegedly reduce costs.
Read more: Legislature soon to be relocated to Polokwane
Already in 2002, the Mathale-administration had to pay a R92 million out-of-court settlement for pulling out of a contract four years earlier to build a R500 million Legislature complex in Polokwane.
Members of the Legislature and administrative personnel currently have to travel to Lebowakgomo almost daily for sittings, meetings and to do their work.
After more than a decade of debate and discussions on whether the Limpopo Legislature should move to Polokwane or not, a decision was made that the Legislature will relocate to Polokwane.
“We wish to thank the Executive Council under the leadership of Premier Stanley Mathabatha for taking such a bold decision,” said Speaker of Limpopo Legislature, Polly Boshielo, in April last year. She then also said the Limpopo Legislature together with the Limpopo Department of Treasury and the Department of Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure are exploring the best Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model that will ensure the building costs are fair and reasonable, without overburdening the provincial fiscus over time,” she said.
Boshielo added the relocation will ultimately bring the necessary efficiencies in their work in terms of time and cost.
The Polokwane Municipality has, however, long since made land available for the Legislature.
The Treasury MEC, Rob Tooley, last year confirmed the Legislature would relocate, but said the building would cater for offices of the members of the Legislature and the office of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, as the rest of the personnel will remain in Lebowakgomo.
Employees of the Limpopo Legislature who spoke to Review on condition of anonymity in 2016 and who welcomed the move of their offices to Polokwane will thus continue to spend a lot of money on transport to and from work daily. For some, transport costs are so much that they rather rent rooms in Lebowakgomo and go home once a month, as this works out cheaper for them rather than travelling every day.
Sibanda said politicians did concur the Legislature should be relocated and a new building should be built, but the Department of Roads, Infrastructure and Public Works is the department having the mandate to work with public infrastructure. They consulted with Treasury and said a technical committee should determine on the feasibility of the project. Sibanda said some meetings have taken place with regard to the study already.
The final cost estimation of the building still is outstanding.
