THE BODY POLITIC
SHIRLEY DE VILLIERS: Inside SA’s Faulty Towers
The dilapidated police HQ — considered ‘unfit for human use’ — is a microcosm of government failure
07 March 2024 - 05:02
It was supposed to be a good idea: save money on leases by buying a nine-building complex to house a police precinct in the Pretoria CBD.
Instead, what we have to show for R694m — plus R200m worth of renovations — are fetid water pools on a bathroom floor and basin taps pulled out of the wall; filthy carpets, broken ceilings and exposed cabling; a fire hose that was last serviced in July 2021. And don’t forget the rubbish strewn across the floor. That’s before you factor in dysfunctional ventilation equipment, broken lifts, a shortage of drinking water and unmarked or closed emergency exits...
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