New RA building being repaired

THE southern wing of the Roads Authority’s new headquarters in Windhoek is undergoing repairs after cracks were discovered on the first floor as staff were moving in during February.

Roads Authority (RA) CEO Conrad Lutombi confirmed the repairs yesterday during a site visit to the Windhoek-Okahandja B1 upgrade project.

Lutombi said the issues affecting the building were minor, but he didn’t want to risk staff safety, hence the decision to postpone moving into the affected part of the building.

“It was a cautionary measure from our side, and we needed to be sure there is nothing wrong with it. So far, the southern wing has been occupied, the IT and engineering departments are already there; just not on the affected floor,” he said.

The new RA head office was constructed at a cost of about N$219 million on the south-eastern corner of the intersection of David Hosea Meroro Road and Mandume Ndemufayo Avenue, south of the Windhoek city centre. Lutombi told The Namibian last month that he had instructed the consulting engineers on the project, Bicon Consulting Engineers and Project Managers, to conduct an investigation to determine what caused the defects on the ground floor of the building.

Independent engineers have also been contracted to investigate, he indicated, adding that he expected the findings this week.

“There is only a 2% chance that it might collapse, but I do not want to take any chances. I am not being unnecessarily harsh either. I just want to be sure because safety is key. This building needs to stand for the next 100 years,” Lutombi said.

Bicon Consulting Engineers and Project Managers declined to comment.