South Africa's construction and property industries stand to benefit hugely from the country's successful bid to host the Pan African Parliament, Public Works Minister Stella Sigcau said yesterday.

Speaking during the handover of the R4,3-million Steve Vukile Tshwete police station in Frankfort near King William's Town in the Eastern Cape, she said the parliament was yet more good news for the construction and property industries.

Sigcau said her department was ready to rise to the challenge of managing the provision of infrastructure for the parliament.

"My department is responsible for the provision and maintenance of accommodation to government departments. Under our prestige portfolio we look after the Union Buildings, Parliament, and ministerial residences.

"Because of our experience and expertise in this area, we are the best agency available in the country to carry out the honour of costing, procuring and maintaining the new headquarters of the 265-member African Union Pan African Parliament," she said.

The cost of providing the building, facilities, and equipment would be borne by the government, but other private sector activities such as the construction of private accommodation and hotels would be part of the benefits of hosting the parliament.

Turning to the new police station, Sigcau said it had given a boost to the local economy.

The station was named in honour of the late safety and security minister Steve Tshwete who died in 2002.

The project consisted of holding cells and official living quarters for members of the SA Police Services.

The station was the fourth such facility in the past month to be handed over to the police service.

Others were the newly built Mangaung police station near Bloemfontein, the Tsolo police station outside Umtata in the Eastern Cape, and Mabopane police station outside Pretoria. – Sapa.