Government spent R32 million and only has run-down buildings to show for it

Over a decade ago, the Department of Tourism (DoT) embarked on a multimillion rand infrastructure project for a lodge outside Kimberley in the Northern Cape.

The investment initiative, initially budgeted at R9.5 million, or R16.4 million in today’s terms, was to upgrade an existing farmhouse and make it a fully-fledged lodging and conference hosting facility.

An economic development initiative for the San community of Platfontein, it hoped to boost tourism in and around the area.

It was earmarked as a strategic area that could attract conferencing business from the big economic centers in the Gauteng and Western Cape provinces.

The initial R9.5 million became a R32 million revamp, and the Platfontein Lodge and Conference Center opened its doors at the end of 2018.

According to information provided by the Department, the scope of the R32 million work entailed:

• Converting a farmhouse into a 12-bedroom lodge with ablution facilities, reception, dining area, and pool.
• Convert the hall into a conference center with a kitchen.
• Constructing a guardhouse.
• Upgrading the pump house, sewer, water reticulation, and entrance road.
• Renovating an existing structure for storage.
• Refurbishing a building into a staff facility.
• Renovating a building for the manager’s house.
• Installing street lighting along the 1.2 km entrance road.
• Cleaning and clearing the construction area.
• Improving road and stormwater drainage.

The lodge saw droves of much-needed tourism return to the area. However, seemingly just as quickly as the lodge and conference centre opened its doors, they closed again.

A trip along the R31 reveals it has been left idle for some time, further deteriorating as it was not looked after.

The entrance is blocked by overgrown vegetation, and the guard posts and signs are damaged and in decline.

As you drive towards the lodge venues, it’s clear there has been very little foot traffic for an extended period.

The buildings show signs of decay. Their peeling white exteriors, structural cracks, and overgrown vegetation creeping over faded parking lines highlight their decline.

DoT’s Head of Communications Tasneem Carrim explained that “after the renovations were completed, following a period of heavy rains, several defects including structural cracks and other related services problems developed.”

“Specialist studies were required to determine the best solutions for these matters,” she added.

BusinessTech was told by the site management that the venue was “temporarily closed” for renovations by the DoT. Carrim said that “there are plans to make the lodge operational again.”

Renovations have been proposed to the existing hall, which includes an extension of the wedding and conference hall to accommodate a kitchen, reservation office, laundry, bar, and scullery.

“This proposed renovation will also include unpinning the foundations to stabilise the structure,” said Carrim.

“Shoddy workmanship”

In August of 2021, numerous Parliamentary Select Committees, including that of Trade and Industry, Economic Development, Small Business Development, Tourism, and Public Works and Infrastructure, conducted an oversight to the area.

The committees subsequently released a statement expressing their concerns over the state of the Department of Tourism initiative, “which has rendered the investment facility useless.”

The challenges at the lodge are attributed to unstable soil and poor foundation, which rendered the business unfunctional.

“While the committees acknowledge the efforts that have been made to remedy the defects in the foundation, they remain concerned that this will require additional funding from fiscus, which is already stretched,” they said.

According to the committees, these challenges could have been identified during the project’s planning phase and proper mitigation measures put in place.

The committees said that tourism is a major driver of economic development, especially in a province like the Northern Cape.

However, the “closure of the lodge is a regrettable antithesis of that economic opportunity.”

“The far-reaching negative implications of the closure of the lodge will include the denial of the employees an opportunity to participate in the business venture,” they said in a joint statement.

The committees also expressed concerns that one of the major factors that negatively impacted the lodge was the water leaks from Sol Plaatjie Local Municipality’s water infrastructure.

Not much has changed in the four years.

The Department of Water and Sanitation’s (DWS) No Drop Report is a national assessment tool used to evaluate municipalities’ performance in managing water losses and ensuring water use efficiency.

According to the most recent report, Sol Plaatje received a score of 53%.

Aging asbestos pipes frequently burst, causing water outages and contamination. Major bursts are quickly repaired, but smaller ones linger, worsening issues.

Kimberley’s rapid growth further strains the aging infrastructure, impacting water, sanitation, and poorer communities.

In August 2021, the committees called on the Department “to expedite its procurement processes to ensure that the facility is operational.” However, years later, the site remains idle.

Carrim was asked what measures are being taken to ensure these flaws are avoided in future tourism projects.

She said that “detailed planning, guided by built environment norms and standards, supported by specialist studies where required, will inform the implementation of any future infrastructure projects.”

Other images of the site