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ON FIRE: Supported by local community members, disgruntled subcontractors and their employees whose agreements have been terminated by the main construction company of the M3 housing complex, burn tyres to barricade the access road to the housing project in Meloding, Virginia, last Wednesday (18/02). Photos: Teboho Setena
Progress up in smoke Construction at a standstill due to grievances } Teboho Setena CONSTRUCTION work to develop the multi-million rand Merriespruit Community Residential Units Complex in Meloding, Virginia, has come to a standstill. This follows an ongoing protest by angry sub-contractors and temporary workers demanding urgent intervention by the stakeholders, the Free State Department of Human Settlements, Harmony Goldmines and the Matjhabeng Local Municipality. The project is overshadowed by a dispute knotted together with grievances. This arised from alleged unpaid monies by the main contractor due to subcontractors and a breach of a contractual agreement. Affected subcontractors and workers suspect that this could be due to a ploy by politicians who have vested interests in the housing project, which they see as being one of the factors hampering the smooth
running of the housing-provision since its commencement late in 2013. Last Wednesday (18/02), tempers reached boiling point. Fed-up workers, led by their employers, supported by members of the Meloding community, staged another protest and used flaming tyres to barricade the access road to the housing site. Archie Lehana and Tsholo Malefane, the leaders of the concerned subcontractors and workers, said non-response by stakeholders prompted their action last Wednesday when they demanded what was due to them. “Protest is the last resort to get what is due to us, so we as subcontractors can pay the workers who are frustrated by having to wait so long,” said Lehana. Aggrieved subcontractors have since sent their demands to the office of Premier Elias “Ace” Magashule, Olly Mlamleli, MEC for Human Settlements, Sebenzile
Ngangelizwe, mayor of the Matjhabeng Local Municipality, and to Harmony Gold Mines. They want all subcontractors whose agreements were terminated to be reinstated to complete the housing project and fulfil the promise of skills development and job creation to empower local communities. They also want stakeholders to address the alleged periodisation of allocation of jobs to foreigners from Mozambique. Lehana says of the 59 local subcontractors, six have been allocated work in the housing project. Senne Bogatsu, spokesperson for the Department of Human Settlements, said Reder Construction was appointed as the main contractor, with a whopping R326 000 000 invested in the project, including the cost of the land plus buildings, as well as the bridging finance from the Harmony Gold Mine Company. Bogatsu said 48 of the subcontractors
were from Meloding and were employed to do skilled work on the units, as well as on the ancillary buildings. “There are also three contractors paving internal roads. Some 318 people are still employed on site, but this will decrease dramatically as the units approach completion,” Bogatsu said. She added the management of the department was addressing grievances with subcontractors and Reder Construction. “Meetings have been held with stakeholders, including the said subcontractors, and the last meeting on Friday (20/02) led to the resolution of some issues. Contractors are meant to get back to work.” Lehana has disputed the number of employed subcontractors and workers, saying 27 people from Meloding were temporarily employed while 473 had their contracts terminated, adding they would not budge until their demands were met.
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