Joburg City mayor says refurbishment of metro centre projected at R3.2 billion
The Department of Employment and Labour declared the building unsafe, forcing the officials to vacate the premises in September last year.
The newly-elected Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg is Dada Morero. City of Joburg
JOHANNESBURG - City of Joburg Mayor Dada Morero says the refurbishment of the metro centre is projected to cost about R3.2 billion.
The Department of Employment and Labour declared the building unsafe, forcing the officials to vacate the premises in September last year.
On Wednesday, Morero made the revelation during a media briefing on the current state of affairs in the city.
Seven to 10 years is how long it is likely to take for the metro centre - which previously housed the mayor and other officials of the city - to be refurbished.
However, Morero revealed the major renovation will not come cheap.
"We think it will come at about the cost of about R3.2 billion or less but that’s the projected cost of rebuilding of the metro centre."
Until then, the city will be renting out spaces for officials. While the mayor chose not to divulge what the leasing of private property is estimated at, he is adamant it does not amount to wasteful expenditure.
"It’s not a wasteful expenditure. So what happens is that this building is declared to be unsafe structurally. Now, a responsive government will then say, 'I’ve got three thousand employees here, should anything happen, their lives will be in danger. Let me go and look for alternative accommodation'."
Morero anticipates the process of the National Treasury concluding their proposed funding model will be completed in three months.