Pretoria - The Department of Public Works and the landlord of the premises accommodating South African Police Service (SAPS) members in Newcastle, northern KwaZulu-Natal, have reached an agreement to re-open the station.
The agreement comes after the landlord locked the premises on Tuesday, 20 August.
“A dispute arose after the landlord wanted the month-to-month rentals, which have been in force since 2010, to be increased in line with the inflation rate. The latter contract was implemented after the main lease contract had expired,” said Public Works on Saturday.
During the negotiations, the landlord wanted the department to grant him a five-year lease extension in exchange for forfeiting the increase. However, the department offered the landlord a 12-month extension.
Under the new agreement, the department will pay out the inflationary increase backdated to 2010, and has offered the landlord a three-year contract. – SAnews.gov.za
