The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure has confirmed that restoring two residential blocks at the Algoa Park police barracks in Nelson Mandela Bay will require almost R38-million, after an assessment found serious deterioration that poses health and safety concerns for SAPS personnel and their families.
Assessment finds extensive decay at Gamtoos and Sterrenberg blocks
In a response to local DA representatives, Minister Dean Macpherson said an assessment of the two residential blocks — the Gamtoos and Sterrenberg buildings — showed they "have deteriorated significantly and require substantial refurbishment." The minister added he regarded "the present condition of these facilities as unacceptable, particularly given that they provide residential accommodation to SAPS personnel and their families."
The minister's reply followed an oversight visit two months earlier by DA Nelson Mandela Bay mayoral candidate Retief Odendaal, accompanied by the party’s provincial leader Andrew Whitfield and MP Yusuf Cassim, which highlighted rapid deterioration of conditions at the barracks.
Safety and habitability issues highlighted
During the oversight visit inspectors recorded multiple concerns. The source material listed the following problems:
- rat infestations;
- broken lifts and electrical infrastructure problems;
- prolonged water outages;
- non-operational fire hydrants;
- a lack of security measures, including absence of a front door;
- broken windows and other obvious health and safety hazards.
Photographs taken at the Gamtoos building showed broken windows along staircases, the reporting said, underscoring the breadth of visible defects.
Funding and responsibility remain with SAPS and Public Works
Macpherson's letter said his office would "continue to monitor the matter and the engagement with SAPS to ensure that the necessary refurbishment is progressed as soon as the funding requirements have been resolved." The comment indicates that while Public Works has assessed the work and cost, the allocation of funds and the coordination with SAPS must still be finalised.
The minister’s estimate — described as an initial figure — approaches R38-million. The scale of the work required, as described in the assessment, suggests substantial refurbishment rather than minor repairs.
Context and potential consequences
Police residential accommodation forms part of the conditions of service that can affect morale and operational readiness. The reported state of the Algoa Park flats — if not addressed promptly — carries risks for the safety and wellbeing of serving members and their dependants.
Key practical issues to be resolved include the source and timing of funding, the division of responsibilities between the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure and SAPS, and the prioritisation of the refurbishment within broader maintenance programmes. The minister’s letter commits his office to ongoing monitoring and engagement with SAPS, but gives no timeframe for commencement or completion of repairs.
| Item | Reported problem |
|---|---|
| Structural and exterior | Broken windows; visible degradation |
| Services | Broken lifts; electrical faults; prolonged water outages |
| Safety | Non-operational fire hydrants; no front door; rat infestations |
"I regard the present condition of these facilities as unacceptable, particularly given that they provide residential accommodation to SAPS personnel and their families," the minister wrote.
The report did not provide a breakdown of the estimated R38-million figure, nor did it set a timetable. It also did not state whether interim measures to address urgent hazards would be implemented while full refurbishment planning and funding are secured.
Neighbours of the barracks had raised concerns to the DA about the condition of the blocks, the correspondence said. The matter will require co-ordination between national and provincial stakeholders if the buildings are to be made safe and habitable again.
Public Works has signalled oversight and engagement; the next steps will depend on funding allocation and SAPS's operational planning for staff accommodation.
