Marion Edmunds
The Department of Public Works is spending R22-million on a revamp of the Union Buildings in Pretoria -including a new R1,4-million garden centre to house the tools of the hundred or so small- and medium-sized businesses which tend the flower beds of the expansive gardens.
According to a representative, the enterprises need a place to “put their things”.
Inside the building, public works is installing a new air-conditioning system at a cost of R9,5-million, upgrading the power supply, putting in fire-detection units and restoring stonework. The Meintjieskop restaurant, where the Cabinet lunches, is being moved to the lower ground floor; the vacated space will house 12 offices for the president’s staff.
Public works recently revamped the offices of the president and deputy president for R1,4-million.
In Cape Town, the minister of arts, culture, science and technology’s house, Outeniqua, in Kirstenbosch, is to be refurbished at a cost of R500 000.
And while public works is spending a mint on maintaining prize properties, it is also seeking “innovative ways” of selling off properties it no longer needs. Funds raised from these sales will go into national coffers.
The department is seeking consultants to explore the possible sale or lease of six vacant pieces of prime land, including residential erven in Pretoria’s Waterkloof, a farm in Midrand and undeveloped land at the Silvermine site on Table Mountain.
This is a pilot project for the sale of properties: it is estimated that the government owns more than 130 000 properties, and is still, according to officials, “capturing new properties” on a daily basis.
The defence force owns 2 638 of the properties, including farms, houses, military bases and offices.
Public works has divided South Africa into 40 zones. The register of state assets is to be completed by January 1999.