MAHIKENG, North West — The highly anticipated North West Department of Agriculture relocation to a centralized, permanent facility has been abruptly halted in Mahikeng, leaving government workers dispersed across various temporary district and local area offices. The delay stems from severe building compliance failures at the newly proposed TEB Office Park, which recently failed critical safety inspections.
The relocation initiative was originally triggered after the department’s former provincial headquarters, the Agri Center, was shuttered in 2025 for failing to meet basic environmental health and general workplace safety regulations. In June 2026, the TEB Office Park was pinpointed as the ideal replacement space. However, the transition hit a major roadblock when the Department of Employment and Labour conducted site inspections and subsequently issued both contravention and prohibition notices against the property.
Inspectors identified several critical safety hazards at the TEB Office Park. The prohibition notices specifically cite malfunctioning elevator lifts, a lack of sufficient emergency exit doors, the failure to submit a required structural integrity report, and missing compliance certifications for the building’s air-conditioning system.
The provincial legislature’s portfolio committee on agriculture and rural development has stepped in, voicing frustration over the ongoing operational disruptions. A spokesperson for the portfolio committee highlighted the direct negative impact on the agricultural sector, noting that farmers are struggling to access essential departmental services due to the scattered staff.
“If we do not have offices where the end users who are the farmers can access the department and to get the necessary services, it means the department is not going to be able to live up to the expectations,” the portfolio committee spokesperson explained.
Urging a departure from political finger-pointing, the committee spokesperson called for a strictly technical and professional resolution. They are demanding that the North West Provincial Government immediately appoint an independent professional engineer—ideally facilitated by the Department of Public Works. This expert would be tasked with conducting a rigorous structural and occupational health and safety evaluation to definitively determine if the building is legally fit for human occupation and fully compliant with all legislation.
According to the committee, the property owner maintains that he is actively managing the building’s upkeep. He has received a detailed list of required corrections and indicated that he is prioritizing the most critical fixes, prompting an agreement to bring all parties together to oversee the progress.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development emphasized their limited leverage in the situation. As prospective tenants, they are entirely dependent on the landlord to rectify the violations before they can move in.
“We are still waiting outside because labour, public works and the owners are dealing with compliance of the building,” the department spokesperson stated, clarifying that they are merely tenants because their previously owned facility was condemned by the Department of Employment and Labour for non-compliance. The spokesperson stressed that the ultimate goal is simply to have provincial staff housed in a proper office environment where work performance can be adequately monitored.
To break the impasse, the portfolio committee has scheduled a critical stakeholder meeting for Monday. The discussions will include the TEB Office Park owner, representatives from the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Employment and Labour, all working toward a swift resolution of the outstanding compliance issues so the relocation can finally proceed.