NPA headquarters water supply cut after illegal connections found at the building

Johannesburg - Illegal water connections at the National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA) Gauteng headquarters saw the suspension of supply to the building with fears among staff of “forced” work in an “unhygienic environment”.

Innes Building, which is the NPA's provincial headquarters situated in the Johannesburg CBD, came under investigation earlier this month from Joburg Water, a city-owned entity, as part of seven properties which were found to have illegal water connections.

This was confirmed last on Thursday by Joburg Water spokesperson Eleanor Mavimbela, who said the entity's commercial unit was alerted by the credit control department that Innes Building, as well as other properties, had illegal water connections.

“The investigator from Commercial Loss found a straight pipe (on August 13); that is, an illegal water connection at the property in question (Innes). We issued a Compliance Notice and sent out a Level 3 cut off instruction to (the) Southdale depot.

“The investigator communicated to all parties concerned (on August 21), including the Department of Public Works (DPW), that in order to legalise and normalise the water connection, the liability would be R36148,” Mavimbela said.

Despite this, there was angst among senior advocates and other staff within the NPA that they would be “forced” to work in a no-water and “unhygienic environment”, which had allegedly begun to smell from the toilet waste emissions.

An emailed directive, which The Star has seen, was issued by Gauteng NPA head advocate Andrew Chauke that staff should report back to the office from last Monday despite the building being an alleged health hazard due to the cut water supply and in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It has been decided that all advocates and litigation (administration) should return to the office from Monday, August 24, 2020. It has also been decided that Covid-19 protocols will be strictly adhered to” the email read.

The NPA directed all queries to DPW as the custodian of the building.

DPW spokesperson Lunga Mahlangu said the “unforeseen disruption” was allegedly caused by a stolen meter system, but that the water had begun to be restored.

IOL