The advisory board of the King of Nadi, Pietermaritzburg, has issued an order to stop the multi-million rand asphalt installation project after complaints that the contractor who was awarded the tender is kicking the heels of local companies.
Sondelani Zondi’s King Vusizwe Advisory Board has ordered the company that was awarded a tender of R110 million to put asphalt on two roads to stop the work until the complaints of local businessmen who complained about being locked out when the plates were distributed are listened to.
Government law states that local businessmen should benefit from 30% if there are community development projects.
Last month, local businessmen entered the contractor’s workplace with an elephant, ordered the workers to leave and locked the gates.
The chairman of the advisory board to the king, Mr. Swelakhe Shelembe, said he should sit down with those who complained about the contractors.
Shelembe said they found evidence that the contractor may have breached his terms of the agreement by not hiring local companies.
Shelembe said they found out that local companies were beaten when appointing companies to provide security guards, toilets, and people to carry traffic control signs.
“According to the agreement, these services should not be provided by local companies. To be left out of them is to break the agreement and is corruption. This is depriving the people of Nadi of economic opportunities.
“We request that the work be stopped until all complaints are resolved. The continuation of the work without solving the problems will make the people who are complaining about being deprived of bread very angry.”
Shelembe said a meeting has been called to be held on Monday where the complaints of those who are dissatisfied will be discussed.
In this meeting, the contractor, the Department of Transport, the organization that monitors the performance of companies in the construction sector, the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), the local councilor and other agencies were called.
Shelembe said they will take strict action against the contractor if he does not stop working.
He said they will refer him to the Department of Transport and also request that he be investigated by the CIDB.
“We will request that the contractor be removed from the list of companies registered under CIDB. We will report the matter to the public defender’s office and the parliamentary committee that monitors the operation of public money. We will also go to the labor court to seek an injunction that will stop the work from continuing.”
D2065 and D1134 paved roads.
Since then, there has been no asphalt on the roads that connect the people of Nadi with government institutions such as clinics and schools.