uThungulu Arts Centre investigation continues

AFTER seven years, there is still no clarity on when the Uthungulu Arts Centre in Richards Bay will be open for public use.

The construction of the structure in Veldenvlei, which has become a sore sight for the talented people of the district who continue to await its official opening, is under forensic investigation by provincial Treasury.

‘There is a forensic investigation being conducted by KZN Treasury on the construction of the structure, as per the Arts and Culture Portfolio Committee’s recommendation,’ KZN Arts and Culture spokesperson Mack Makhathini said.

He said as soon as that is complete and other issues are solved ‘the art centre will be opened for public use and a launch date will be duly communicated’.

Makhathini said the construction had been halted after the department noted some delays in the project.

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‘The KZN Department of Arts and Culture contracted IDT as the implementing agent for the construction of the art centre but had to intervene after noting a few delays.

‘The project’s layout and design were behind due to the architect not providing full survey details on time as well as not coordinating team activities effectively.

‘The same architect also enlisted an engineer who had capacity constraints, delaying the completion of civil and structural designs.

‘The department then relieved the architect and engineer of their duties, recruiting better suited candidates. The planning process was started afresh and a new design approved by the department,’ he said.

However the DA in KZN says the centre seems to be have been ‘doomed from the start’.

‘Despite being given the go-ahead in 2010, the community is still waiting for it to be completed.

‘While Phase One was finished, the contractor abandoned the project about a year ago. Today it is in ruins after having been vandalised,’ DA KZN Spokesperson on Arts and Culture George Mari said.

The party said it has called for a special meeting of the portfolio committee after the ‘ANC recently blocked the

Treasury’s report back on the forensic probe into alleged fraud and corruption’ at the centre.