• A R147-million project meant to bring services closer to Hammanskraal residents has been abandoned for nine years.

• The city has hired experts to check if the building can still be saved after years of neglect.

A massive R147-million building project meant to bring jobs to Hammanskraal has been standing empty for nine years with only security guards keeping watch over the rotting structure.

The Tshwane BPO Park was supposed to bring government departments and businesses under one roof.

The main objective of the project was to help locals as they wouldn’t have to travel to Pretoria for basic services.

When it started, the project created 200 temporary jobs for locals. Eleven subcontractors worked under the main contractor, Fikile Construction. But within months, everything stopped.

Last week Tshwane mayor Nasiphi Moya visited the abandoned 23-hectare site. She later wrote on X that nothing has been finished.

City spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the project was troubled from the start.

“This was mainly due to its transactional (structural) make-up and contractual related disputes between the initial project management company and their subcontracted company,” he said.

“There were also delays due to civil commotion and unrest, riots, strike, lockouts, weather conditions and other site interferences and lack of budget due to the City’s dire financial status.”

The yearly cost for building security is just over R1-million, according to Mashigo.

The city is now trying to either revive the project or hand it over to someone who can finish it.

They have hired experts to check if the building is still structurally sound. Their report, due in two months, will detail the project’s history, challenges and current state.

Mashigo said once they get the report, they will present future plans to the Mayoral Committee.

Pictured above: Tshwane BPO Park.

Source: Supplied