Limpopo police stations left in the dark because of rent row

The Limpopo police headquarters, based in Polokwane, might find itself in darkness soon because it has not paid rent since last year.

Power to two police offices was disconnected because the Department of Public Works had neglected to pay millions of rands owed to the landlords.

And it has resulted in Public Works and police blaming each other for the situation.

Makhado police station in the Progress Building, Krogh Street, had its electricity cut off while the Supply Chain Services in Polokwane was in darkness and workers locked out on Tuesday morning.

Sources in the provincial government, angered by the recent incidents, said the headquarters and other stations were in arrears, too, and that they could be next in line should Public Works fail to settle the bills.

Captain Maano Sadike of the Makhado police said they had been without electricity since Friday. He said they had managed to perform some duties using gas lamps in some offices, including its client service centre. He said Public Works and police management were working on the matter.

Regarding Makhado police station, Thamsanqa Mchunu of Public Works said his department "is in arrears to the tune of R1247. since September 2011".

Mchunu said "a process is under way to effect a payment as soon as possible. The main problem is that the lease agreement expired in August 2010 and rental was being paid on a month-to-month basis while Public Works has been negotiating with SAPS to provide a procurement instruction so that the lease can be renewed legally, on a long-term basis.

"Unfortunately, we have not been successful in getting SAPS to comply with this legal requirement."

Mchunu said it was "the biggest problem that the national Department of Public Works is dealing with, whereby client departments do not comply with a statutory requirement in order to enable DPW to carry out its task of providing accommodation to them".

He would not comment on the Supply Chain Services lockout and power cut because he could not reach officials in Limpopo.

"No wonder so many departments are under administration. They do not know what they are doing," said a cleaner at Supply Chain Services.