OP buys Orapa House for P88.4M
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday August 7, 2015 16:46
The Assistant Minister of Presidential Affairs and Public Administrations Phillip Makgalemele said they were under pressure to buy the building because some of their offices are housed all over by different departments of government.
The issue arose after MP for Selebe-Phikwe West Dithapelo Keorapetse wanted the assistant minister to confirm if the OP would indeed move to Orapa House.
“I wish to confirm that the Office of the President will move to Orapa House upon completion of the refurbishment of the building.
Relocation will start and complete since the tender is currently being evaluated and a firm programme for the refurbishment will only be known upon completion of the evaluation,” Makgalemele said. The assistant minister disclosed that the tender was closed on July 22, 2015.
He said the reason for the impending relocation is the acute shortage of office accommodation faced by the OP.
He said once the evaluation is complete, it is when they would be advised of the name of the contractor as well as the estimated cost of refurbishment.
The MP for Gabane/Mmankgodi Pius Mokgware had wanted to know why OP opted for selective method of tendering.
“Have the issue of security been looked at when OP chose that building?
The reason why I am saying this is because we have a shortage of firefighters and its department is far from Orapa House,”
Mokgware said. Also concerned was the MP for Okavango Bagalatia Arone, who said the explanation given by the assistant minister to buy such an expensive building was not convincing, especially with the state of the economy the country is faced with.
In response, Makgalemele said the issues of security were looked into by the security experts and advised accordingly.
He insisted that the move was necessary as this would cut the cost of renting offices.