Monthly Expenditure of R6.8 Million on Vacant Police Headquarters in Pretoria

The unoccupied Telkom Towers complex in Pretoria, designed to serve as the headquarters for the South African Police Service (SAPS), is incurring a cost of R6.8 million monthly, according to the Department of Public Works.

In addition, SAPS is spending nearly R40 million each month on renting office space in the city center.

Department officials faced tough questioning on Wednesday during a session of the parliamentary portfolio committee for Public Works and Infrastructure.

Telkom Towers, acquired in 2016 for approximately R700 million, was vacated in February 2024 due to health and safety issues and has remained empty since.

Read: SAPS will not return to Telkom Towers despite the expenditure of millions

Only one of its nine buildings was utilized by SAPS, while the remaining ones, which cost at least R592 million, have stood empty. The Auditor-General identified this as a serious irregularity.

Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson initiated an investigation into the acquisition in August 2024.

In October 2024, the police minister announced that SAPS would withdraw from the Telkom Towers Complex and seek “an alternative accommodation strategy”.

Deputy Director General of Public Works, Mandla Sithole, informed MPs on Wednesday that SAPS holds 68 leases in Pretoria. Of these, 22 leases in the city center cost about R444 million annually and encompass 150,000 square meters of office space along with 2,000 parking bays.

Sithole noted that Macpherson plans to meet with the police minister to discuss the situation.

The department estimates that R1.6 billion will be required for the refurbishment of the Telkom complex. A public-private partnership is currently under consideration, according to Sithole.

However, MPs expressed their dissatisfaction. Nkosinathi Nxumalo (MKP) remarked that it was “not a lack of funding or expertise, but a shortage of political will to simply relocate SAPS to the building we’ve already purchased for them.”

“Private landlords are profiting from government rentals. This is intolerable,” he added.

Read: AG’s critical report on police headquarters

Bonginkosi Madikizela (DA) inquired about the reasons for the delay in meetings between the two ministers. Officials responded that they were awaiting the completion of a forensic report to determine the next steps.

Sipho Mahlangu (ANC) questioned how much the vacant Telkom Towers were costing the public. Officials finally provided the figures towards the end of the meeting.

According to Sithole, R5 million per month is allocated for municipal services, R500,000 on security, and approximately R1.3 million on rates. He emphasized that these figures are estimates and have not been verified.

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