Claims of leasing City Hall to the Iranian Embassy clarified

The Citizen

6 days ago

The Tshwane metro has clarified its affairs surrounding the alleged plans to lease the Pretoria CBD's City Hall to the Iranian Embassy.
This after DA's Cilliers Brink raised concerns over the metro not being transparent regarding the rescue of the dilapidated City Hall.
'The DA will ask Tshwane mayor Nasiphi Moya to disclose the details of interactions between the City of Tshwane and the Embassy of Iran,' said Brink in a statement.
He said this followed reports about the possible Iranian Embassy's involvement in the repair and leasing of the Pretoria City Hall.
'This is a matter which has never been discussed by the City Council,' he said.
In response to the allegations, the metro confirmed that the representatives of the Iranian Embassy did visit the City Hall. However, it said, there were no discussions of any potential arrangement, such as lease terms.
'On May 9, the metro received a formal letter from the Cultural Consulate of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran proposing the establishment of a permanent Iranian Cultural Complex in Tshwane,' said Sthembiso Skosana, spokesperson for the office of the MMC for Corporate and Shared Services.
In the letter supplied by the metro, the Iranian Embassy proposed that the metro consider contributing a parcel of municipal building or land to the Iranian Embassy.
This would be for the establishment of a permanent Iranian Cultural Complex in the metro.
The letter also outlined the Embassy's vision for the proposed facility, which would include a museum, library, restaurant, cinema, and handcraft shops.
Skosana said in response to this and similar requests, the Bad Buildings Sub-Mayoral Committee has been actively exploring opportunities to repurpose assets that have long been dormant.
The committee was established earlier this year to identify underutilised municipal properties.
'This work is guided by the urgent need to stimulate economic activity, attract investment for infrastructure upgrades, and address the metro's well-known budgetary constraints,' he said.
He said as part of the process, officials from the Group Property Department developed a proposal of potential sites for the Embassy's consideration.
'This included, but was not limited to, Tshwane City Hall, which was clearly identified as a protected public asset that is unequivocally not for sale,' he said.
He affirmed that the intention was to open exploratory discussions and assess possible alignments with the metro's revitalisation plans.
He further acknowledged that the City Hall, a landmark of historic and civic significance, has not been operational for over a decade.
'City Hall is one of several heritage properties under consideration for appropriate reuse as part of the city's broader inner-city regeneration efforts,' he stated.
He said its preservation and responsible revitalisation form part of the metro's broader strategy to restore key heritage assets for public benefit.
He added that a site visit was conducted on May 28 with representatives of the Iranian Embassy, who were shown the City Hall building and its surrounding precinct.
'Following this inspection, a subsequent request was received from the Embassy to inspect additional potential sites, as only City Hall had been viewed during the initial engagement,' he said.
Skosana emphasised that the interactions were entirely exploratory, and no commitments were made by either party.
'To be clear, no discussions have taken place regarding the mechanics of any potential arrangement, such as lease terms, funding models, or final site selection.'
He said the metro has hosted similar engagements as part of its efforts to reclaim and revitalise neglected infrastructure through responsible public-private partnerships.
'Recent consultations have included Institutions of Higher Learning, the diplomatic community, property developers, and private sector stakeholders who share an interest in restoring Tshwane's civic assets for public benefit,' he said.
Skosana emphasised the metro's commitment to transparent and responsible governance.
'We remain committed to transparency, responsible stewardship, and meaningful engagement with all stakeholders as we work to breathe new life into the Capital City while preserving its cultural heritage for generations to come,' he concluded.
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