Renovating municipal offices is not done for vanity, but to make the offices conducive and give them a professional image to enhance service delivery
ANC councillor and chairperson of the eThekwini municipality Governance Committee, Nkosenhle Madlala, made the point clear at an eThekwini full council meeting recently.
Renovating the eThekwini Municipality Deputy City Manager (DCM) Trading Services office at the new offices on Matthews Meyiwa Road in Greyville will cost a total of R1.5 million.
Members of the eThekwini council supported “a vital need for building improvements and renovations”. The funds were recognised as savings from the KwaXimba Installation, Operation, and Maintenance support project, according to the council report.
According to a report tabled before a council meeting last month, the Real Estate Unit, which is mandated to the administration of municipal buildings, confirmed that the second floor was the only available space for the offices of the DCM Trading Services and the Chief Strategy Officer.
There is a dedicated maintenance architect and consultant to the building to process all floor layout requirements. Furthermore, consultation between the Real Estate and Architecture Units, agreed that the office block needs to be renovated to accommodate the needs of the office.
Due to the extensive work required, renovations will include the creation of 24 modular offices, clustered workspaces, a communal kitchen, a boardroom, a storeroom, a printing room, a reception area, and a waiting room.
Madlala emphasised that the Real Estate Unit acquired the building to house multiple departments, and each unit occupying the space is responsible for fitting it out according to their operational needs.
Madlala said the DCM office is the nerve centre for the Unit’s operations and its look and feel; and conduciveness is essential for maintaining a professional image and for service delivery.
“The approved budget is strictly for renovations and necessary modifications to ensure the building is suitable for municipal use. These are not renovations for vanity’s sake. Units cannot move in without them,” Madlala stated.
The recommendations were not agreed upon by some political parties. The matter was put to a vote in council where 121 councillors voted in support of them.
However, ActionSA spokesperson Saneli Zuma said the money should have been directed to fixing the infrastructure in the city.
“Across eThekwini, residents endure daily struggles with non-functional water supply and failing sewage systems,” Zuma said.