Waterkloof upgrade costing R1.2 billion

Rebuilding the runway at the Air Force Base Waterkloof will cost the Department of Defence R1.2 billion. The Estimates of National Expenditure (ENE) , released by National Treasury last week, says the endeavour, the department's only mega project, has so far cost R723.4 million and another R495.3 million will be spent over the medium term.

The National Treasury expects the rebuild to be completed by March 2013. Treasury adds the defence department will also fund 29 small capital works to repair and upgrade run-down buildings and infrastructure. "The total project cost of all the small capital works projects is R890.3 million," the ENE adds. For 2010/11, R90 million has been allocated on these projects and an additional R405.2 million will be spent over the medium term. Some 30% of the projects are currently at the construction stage and 70% at the identification stage. All these projects are expected to be completed in FY2013/14 and FY2014/15. The bulk of the funds is being spent on upgrading military facilities and improving security at some military bases.

Under repair are military hospitals in Pretoria and Cape Town (1 Military Hospital, 2 Military Hospital), Air Force Base Waterkloof in Pretoria, 4 SA Infantry Battalion in Middelburg, 35 Engineer Support Regiment in Dunnottar, the Naval Dockyard in Simon's Town, 21 SA Infantry Battalion at Doornkop (Johannesburg), 10 SA Infantry Battalion in Mafikeng, and one of the messes in Pretoria.

"Over the medium term, the refurbishing programme will be extended to refurbish 30 military bases. R2.7 billion has been allocated to the department's repair and maintenance programme over the MTEF period."

Source: DefenceWeb