Joburg Mayor Dada Morero confirmed on Wednesday that the Usindiso Building will serve as his new office following the closure of the Metro Centre due to non-compliance with health regulations.
The city council decided to shut down the Metro Centre last September.
Morero stated that relocating to Usindiso is crucial for its reconstruction, emphasising its heritage despite the high costs involved.
The Usindiso Building, which marked a year since it caught fire, tragically resulted in the deaths of over 70 illegal occupants.
“We have also taken the decision to move the mayor’s office to Usindiso Building – it is a revolutionary act,” Morero remarked.
The mayor highlighted that this move would allow local government to better understand the challenges faced by residents in the inner city.
“We will ensure that the outside of the building remains the same as we renovate and bring back our heritage,” he added.
The Joburg municipality is currently struggling with insufficient properties to accommodate staff members, prompting the need to approach the private sector for alternatives.
Morero indicated that the metro has requested two buildings from private sector owners to house approximately 3 000 employees and other departments, including the legislature.
“The only way to find this alternative accommodation is to approach the private sector that owns properties in and around Braamfontein and the inner city, acknowledging that the city itself does not have properties of this nature,” he explained.
This decision follows the Metro Centre being flagged for several health regulation violations. The building was found non-compliant with the Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1993 and the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act.
Morero stressed that the 50-year-old building was uninhabitable, necessitating swift closure to protect employees and the public.
“The Metro Centre cannot be issued an Electrical Certificate of Compliance (COC) due to non-compliance with the requirements of the Electrical Contracting Boards (ECB). A report tabled in 2014 noted significant challenges following a conditional assessment, yet building maintenance was not conducted as prescribed, leading to severe leaks and other infrastructural issues,” Morero stated.
Several professional reports from the Emergency Management Services (EMS) and the Department of Employment & Labour raised alarms about outdated electrical, plumbing, and HVAC infrastructure, with some required repair parts no longer available on the market.
Morero noted that the refurbishment of the Metro Centre is currently being conducted through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with the National Treasury.
He mentioned that the reconstruction of the centre is estimated to cost approximately R3.2 billion, with the process potentially taking 10 years, although the city is pushing for a seven-year deadline.
“Rentals will be costly. We want to reduce the time period between 5 and 7 years,” he added.
The mayor concluded by stating that the metro and the Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) are finalising the Supply Chain Management processes as required by the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) following the Request for Proposals (RFP). The JPC is responsible for managing the city’s property assets.
“In collaboration with the National Treasury, we are in the process of appointing a transactional advisor to aid in the redevelopment of the Metro Centre precinct,” he said.
The Star
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