The Department of Public Works and the landlord of the premises accommodating the SAPS members in Newcastle, northern KwaZulu-Natal, have reached an agreement to re-open the premises.
The agreement comes after the landlord locked these premises on Tuesday the 20th August 2013. The 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.
During the negotiations, the land-lord wanted the Department to grant him a five year lease extension in exchange for forfeiting the increase. But the Department offered the landlord a 12-month extension.
In terms of the new agreement, the Department has undertaken to pay out the inflationary increase backdated to 2010 and offered the landlord a three-year contract.
