WRACK AND RUIN: Ball in SAPS’s court over R38m Gqeberha police flats fix

News of the deplorable state of the Algoa Park police barracks in Nelson Mandela Bay has finally reached the right people, but restoring the accommodation complex will not happen overnight.

And it will certainly not be cheap.

In his response to local DA officials, who brought the deteriorating condition of the two blocks of police flats to his attention, Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson said initial estimates for the extensive repairs could run just shy of R38-million.

“The assessment has confirmed that both the Gamtoos and Sterrenberg residential blocks have deteriorated significantly and require substantial refurbishment. 

“I regard the present condition of these facilities as unacceptable, particularly given that they provide residential accommodation to SAPS personnel and their families. 

Monitoring SAPS

“My office will continue to monitor the matter and the engagement with SAPS to ensure that the necessary refurbishment is progressed as soon as the funding requirements have been resolved,” Macpherson’s letter read.

Macpherson’s letter, addressed to the DA’s mayoral candidate in Nelson Mandela Bay, Retief Odendaal, came two months after Odendaal and some high-ranking political colleagues conducted an oversight visit to the flats next to the Algoa Park police station.

While the situation at the barracks has been a topic for some time, conditions have declined drastically in recent months, to the point where it has become unsafe.

Rats and more...

Rat infestations, broken lifts and electrical infrastructure, prolonged water outages, non-operational fire hydrants and a complete lack of any security measures – including a front door – were just some of the concerns raised with Macpherson after the oversight visit.

“Our concerns stretch beyond the condition of the buildings. Neighbouring residents contacted us about the unsavoury characters seen coming and going from the property meant to house police officials.

“During our visit, we spoke to police members who live there, and they see all kinds of people, who they know are not employed by the SAPS, living in these flats.

“The flats have been hijacked by people not authorised to be there. It has become a safety concern for the neighbouring public as well as the police members living there, and it is doing irreparable damage to the reputation of the police in that area,” Odendaal said.

He welcomed the minister’s response and said any action at the facility would be a step in the right direction.

Minister’s response

In the weeks following Odendaal’s letter to Macpherson, the minister responded by saying he would delegate a team from the regional Public Works offices to conduct assessments at the flats and provide feedback within 10 days. He missed that deadline.

In his latest letter to Odendaal, he explained that the Deputy Director-General: Facilities Management felt the initial reports submitted to his office were insufficient and instructed local officials to conduct more comprehensive assessments.

“The most pressing issues include severely damaged lifts, exposed electrical wiring and defective electrical infrastructure, vandalised and non-compliant fire protection equipment, broken windows and doors, damaged garages, deteriorated driveways and drainage infrastructure, inadequate access control and security, and poor general upkeep of the precinct. 

“Of particular concern are the safety-related defects, including exposed electrical wiring, damaged fire hydrants and missing or non-compliant fire extinguishers, as well as broken windows which pose a danger to occupants.

“The preliminary estimated cost to comprehensively refurbish both buildings is R37.881-million. This amount remains subject to final verification by the Department’s Quantity Surveyors,” Macpherson wrote. 

A structural engineer will also be appointed to assess the structural integrity of both buildings.

Macpherson said that while maintenance of the Algoa Park police precinct, including the barracks, fell within the mandate of his department, the implementation of a refurbishment programme would be subject to the police providing the funding.

The funding arrangement Macpherson mentioned follows a broader shift in responsibility for police infrastructure.

A 2024 parliamentary overview noted that SAPS was responsible for new police stations at new sites, while Public Works remained responsible for refurbishing existing police stations.

Police funding for progress

For SAPS-funded projects, Public Works said it could proceed only once funding had been received from the police.

He has requested that the director-generals of Public Works and the police liaise with each other to make the necessary arrangements and confirm the funding for the project.

“Once funding has been confirmed, the department will be able to proceed with the required project processes. My office will continue to monitor the matter and the engagement with SAPS to ensure that the necessary refurbishment is progressed as soon as the funding requirements have been resolved,” Macpherson said. 

Questions sent to SAPS have not yet been answered. Their response will be added once received. DM