Auditor General�s offices a death trap, MPs hear
Mbongeni Mguni | Wednesday May 28, 2014 15:49
Robby Sebopeng’s revelations before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) yesterday came as legislators grilled Lands and Housing permanent secretary, Thatoyaone Raphaka on the purchase of several defective buildings in Gaborone. Sebopeng’s offices, located on the eastern end of the Gaborone International Finance Park are among assets bought for office space by government years ago, where structural defects were quickly uncovered.
“The Lands and Housing Ministry is refusing to provide us with alternative accommodation. It would be no surprise if you hear that the Auditor General staff have been injured or buried alive,” he said.
According to the Auditor General’s official report of the situation, government purchased the building in question around 2005 for an unspecified amount and from an unidentified seller.
Besides the Auditor General’s office, buildings housing the Department of Wildlife and National Parks and Police Services were also affected by structural faults. Another in the adjoining Kgale Mews section has been abandoned since purchase in 2005 due to being uninhabitable.
“Shortly after purchase, these office blocks started to show signs of defects or deterioration, which reflected on the structural integrity of the buildings,” the official report stated.
“These defects were characterised by progressive structural cracks on the floors and walls in a number of places, which created a feeling of insecurity on the part of officers working in this building.” Last July, according to Sebopeng’s report, trusses in the northern part of the building snapped resulting in roof tiles caving in “causing damage and panic among members of staff”.
“The specialist who was engaged to investigate the incident pointed to serious construction defects,” the Auditor General’s report stated. Legislators at the PAC’s meeting yesterday were outraged at Sebopeng’s revelations, saying it appeared the Ministry of Lands and Housing was waiting for a disaster to happen first before taking action.
“My concern is the lives of the people in this building because something may happen while they are there,” said Kanye North MP, Kentse Rammidi.
“There’s no sense of urgency if the roof collapsed last year and people are still in that building. One day we will be saying ‘if only we had acted’.
“This matter should be treated urgently because all over the world, buildings have collapsed on people when action was not taken.”
For his part, Kgatleng East MP, Isaac Mabiletsa said: “You are only waiting for a disaster to occur and once it happens it will be a scandal to government, when you were told about the problem on time.”
In response, Raphaka said the ministry was equally concerned about the safety of Auditor General staff and was making alternative arrangements for their accommodation.
“When there was an earth tremor (in Gaborone) recently, I remember asking myself whether the Auditor General’s Office was affected,” Raphaka said.
“Last week we met and discussed their office requirements and came up with a proposal that has been sent to them to say we have found space for them where they can go.
“We are taking it very seriously; I even went there myself when the rafters fell down.”
Raphaka revealed that the Auditor General had initially identified space at the Central Business District, but partitioning and preparing the office would have taken more than 12 months. The quality of government buildings was raised again earlier this month, when a ceiling in the Labour and Home Affairs headquarters in the Government Enclave reportedly failed, flooding offices and affecting visas and permit applications for expatriates.