tame TIMES
alberton
two time winner of the annual Ekurhuleni awards: Best Print media
A FRESH APPROACH TO LOCAL NEWS
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Volume 05, 11 March 2014, Week 11
Builders compromising family’s safety
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Ndu Ngwenya
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GROUNDED DREAMS: William Oosthuizen’s home, with the extension now compromising his family’s safety. Contracts, promises and a collapsed entertainment area extension; these are but a few issues that Willem Oosthuizen has been forced to deal with after he entrusted construction work to Action Builders & Construction Projects (PTY) LTD. Oosthuizen’s nightmare began shortly after he signed a contract with the abovementioned building contractor. Work on Oosthuizen’s Meyberrypark was meant to commence on 12 August 2013, with the entertainment area finalised by 25 August 2013. Now, more than six months later, Oosthuizen and his family find themselves confronted with constant security questions and, with the recent rains, a wet house. According to Oosthuizen he paid the
contractor a deposit of R25 000 to start the work at the Meyberrypark site, which was quoted at R50 000. “Work did begin at the site, but from day one I could see that the project would be late. When the deadline date of 25 August came, the walls had not even begun to go up,” said Oosthuizen. Through many struggles with the contractor, which include a criminal case that saw Silothabo Nipofu (MD of Action Builders & Construction Projects (PTY) LTD) arrested for theft, the two parties came to an agreement that the project would be allowed to continue under the supervision of Nipofu. The last straw for Oosthuizen came in January 2014 when the roof level extension collapsed. The collapse brought part of the pre-existing building down with it, including the sliding-
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door that served as the main security feature keeping intruders out of the house. tame TIMES is in possession of the initial contract signed between the two parties and a secondary agreement in which the contractor takes full responsibility for the damage caused by the collapse of the extension. Oosthuizen has maintained communication with the contractor, but is now concerned as messages are rarely and calls are never answered. At time of going to print Oosthuizen was still waiting for the contractor to come to the site so they can discuss a way forward. He is still willing to reach an agreement in the interest of restoring the safety of his home and completing the project, which is now sitting at double the initially quoted price.
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