Service delivery warning as Botha Sigcau building fire displaces 11 EC government departments

The Eastern Cape government has announced that it will take up to eight months to relocate the various provincial departments displaced by the devastating fire at the Botha Sigcau building in Mthatha.

The provincial government is currently engaged in urgent efforts to source alternative accommodation for the 11 departments previously housed in the historic building, which is named after a prominent struggle hero.

Siphokazi Lisithi, the Eastern Cape MEC for Public Works, has cautioned that the loss of the facility may lead to significant disruptions in service delivery.

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She noted that because the departments cannot function in their current state, the impact on the public will be felt until temporary offices are secured and operational.

The MEC confirmed that the Botha Sigcau Building has not yet been declared safe for technical assessment teams to enter.

Consequently, a full evaluation of the damage and the building's future remains on hold.

"At this stage, we are trying to restrain ourselves from speculating about not only the cause of the fire but the state of the building. So, we are going to wait for the multidisciplinary technical team to go on board and get a formal report on what can be structurally saved. For us to know what cost and what work is required, we have to await the report," Lisithi stated.