In one of the rare incidents to happen at a high security facility in South Africa, a drone hovered above the new magistrate’s court facilities in the Western Cape.
This was a final act to capture the magnificence of Plettenberg Bay’s newest landmark, the imposing structure on the corner of Green Oak and Saringa Roads in New Horizons, just off the N2 highway, as the Independent Development Trust (IDT) prepares to hand it over to the Department of Justice.
Upon handover the new facilities will be utilised by the Department of Justice and other government departments – including the National Prosecuting Authority, Legal Aid SA, SA Police Service and Correctional Services – as the Plettenberg Magistrate’s Court.
The IDT was contracted as the implementing agent for the construction of these facilities on behalf of the Department at a project cost of R300-million as part of an infrastructure programme of to construct five court premises across the country.
The implementing contract included a High Court in Polokwane and a Magistrate Court in Ntuzuma – which were handed over in 2016 – and the soon-to-be-opened Booysens Magistrate’s Court and Mpumalanga High Court.
Construction on the Plettenberg site commenced in 2016 and the project is currently at the practical completion phase with only snag work remaining to be done before the project reaches final conclusion, closed out and handed over to the department for permanent occupancy.
The 10 courtrooms housed in the building include two sexual offences courts, four criminal courts, two regional courts and two family courts as well as a civil and equality court.
At the outset of the project the IDT embarked on a comprehensive social facilitation process – a niche for the IDT which ensures that communities take ownership of the facilities once transferred to them – which included participation and buy-in from the Bitou Municipal Council
Intensive community engagements and community meetings were held in all wards where the community was informed of the project and an undertaking that work opportunities and sub- contracting opportunities were going to be available on this project.
A steering committee representative of all the wards was set up, a community liaison officer appointed, and the task of ensuring that the community of Bitou gets maximum social and economic benefits from this development remains the common bond that drives the committee.
Furthermore, the IDT – in consultation with the appointed contractor – facilitated a process where prospects for sub-contractors not contracted to the tender process were given an opportunity to participate in the project.
The IDT is proud to have reached this milestone and appreciates the effort all the teams have put in this project to enable us to achieve this breakthrough.
The professionalism and hard work that has been displayed throughout the lifecycle of this project illustrate the position of the IDT as a premier social infrastructure programme delivery management entity for the government.
