WORKS BUILDING DEPT BECOMING IRRELEVANT?

LOBAMBA – Is the Buildings Department under the Ministry of Public Works and Transport losing its relevance?

The above question arises after it was revealed yesterday that the Micro-Projects Unit had been roped in to assist with the renovations of the Parliament building ahead of the State Opening slated for next week Friday.
Clerk to Parliament Ndvuna Dlamini, informed the meeting that the Micro- Projects Unit was working with the Ministry of Public Works and Transport to rehabilitate the old structure.

Dlamini said the reason that the unit which falls under the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development was engaged, was because it worked closely with the companies which had been contracted to renovate the building.     
A report from a representative of the unit informed the meeting that a majority of the works which needed to be carried out were at an average of 60 and 80 per cent.

Some of the work which is being undertaken by the unit is the ceiling at the Parliament dining hall, which is being replaced.
She said they hoped to have completed the work by Friday. The preparatory meeting was also informed that fixing of the drainage was at about 60 per cent, and that the leaking roof in the Parliament accounts office was only at 50 per cent.

Ablutions

The officer listed many things which needed to be fixed in the ablutions, the Parliament passage ceilings and the leaking roof in the House of Assembly and Senate chambers.
“The installation of air conditioners is at 75 per cent as we have outsourced it, but we are on,” said the officer.
However, Chief Protocol Officer in the King’s Office, Khandlela Mdluli questioned why all these renovations were only being made at the last minute.

“Parliament was closed for a long time,, why weren’t all these things fixed?” Mdluli asked as he directed his question to the Clerk to Parliament.
Mdluli said he did not want Dlamini to start telling him about the lack of budget or make similar excuses as he believed that they had ample time to fix the building.
In response, Dlamini said it was easier for Mdluli to sit on an armchair and criticise.

He said it was for these reasons that they had in the interim engaged the Micro-Projects Units.
It was further reported that some of the equipment needed was still not available because there were hold-ups with the procurement department, as some government orders to purchase equipment had still not been released.
In response to the report update, the Speaker Petros Mavimbela said he was not happy with the report from Micro- Projects Unit, in that progress was mostly between 60 and 80 per cent.

“Please tell us that all will be at 100 per cent at least by February 5,” said Mavimbela.  Mavimbela further expressed disappointment that some orders had still not been processed in order to make the necessary purchases.
Efforts to get comment on how much the renovations would cost were unsuccessful as Micro-Projects Director Sibusiso Mbingo, said the finer details were with the clerk to Parliament.
Dlamini’s phone rang unanswered when called yesterday.    

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