KADOMA City Council has condemned the dilapidated Grand Hotel in the mining town, saying the facility was not fit for human habitation anymore.
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In a recent letter to the hotel’s authorities, the council cited deteriorating standards, saying the stairs leading to the main foyer had become too dangerous to be used by people.
The letter dated August 4 2013, and signed by one Nhika of Kadoma City engineering department said, council would close the hotel if management failed to make some renovations.
“Failure to provide an assessment report on the stairs leading to the main foyer, the council will instruct the chief security officer to close the building on the September 14 2013, as the building has become too dangerous for conducting of business,” says the letter.
The council had earlier on written to the hotel demanding that it repairs leaking toilets pipes, paint the interior/exterior walls, replace broken windows, as well as repair the main foyer among other things.
Canoe Race Investments property manager Robert Kasuza, who manages the hotel, last week confirmed receiving the letter.
“I can confirm that the council directed us to refurbish our building as from February 2013,” he said. “We have carried out some other repairs, and of late we have sought a timber specialist who is now writing an assessment, and very soon we will be receiving a structural engineer for consultant work on repairs to the stairs leading to the main foyer.”
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Council spokesman, Gear Hanyane said the building had become too dangerous for people, adding that all tenants at that building were operating illegally.
“The council through the engineering department has given Grand Hotel up to September 14, 2013 to comply with the council directive and if they fail the council will close the building, and as we talk all the tenants at that building are operating illegally,” said Hanyane.
Built in 1925, Grand Hotel is one of the oldest buildings in Kadoma and is situated in the central business district (CBD). The closure of the building will see several small businesses, which are operating from the hotel, closing shop as well.
