THEY may shut down the entire province with a general strike by contractors who build roads, who are complaining about non-payment by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport, since last year.
They revealed this, in an advertisement that was circulating on Facebook and WhatsApp. The ad was accompanied by a recorded speech by one of the victims, who was heard to be plastered.
In this speech, this man is heard saying that they have a problem with the Department led by Mecacher Siboniso Duma, who is not paying them their money.
“Some workplaces are at a standstill. Duma (who is the Minister of the Ministry) and his officials are paying their friends. We are asking all of Zululand, Mnambithi, Estcourt, and Etheku, not to be closed, even the N3,” said the speech.
The man goes on to say that they are being robbed of property including trucks, cars and houses.
“It ends with us,” he said.
He complained about the selection of cockroaches, saying that the Duma and his officials chose a few people, who he said were his friends and paid them, and left the others like that.
“We are asking the ANC to support Duma. He is ruining us, destroying the Ministry. We are being robbed of cars, trucks, and everything else,” said the man.
He stated that this happened from last year.
“Duma leads the people he loves, who are in his heart,” continued the man.
He said he wants their marches to go to the Ministry’s offices in different areas.
He complained that they come to this Department with cars, trucks, TLBs, and then leave empty-handed, having sold everything.
“Because when you are paid after you have worked, you are paid badly,” he said.
He said they were in debt, and complained that they had workers who had not been paid since October last year.
“We were last paid in October last year. But the companies loved by the honorable are paid every month. We will close down. We will close the offices, we will close the jobs done by the rich people who are close to the heart of the honorable,” said the man in charge, saying that Duma should not just kill them.
Following the spread of threats of protest, Duma’s office posted a notice on its Facebook page, saying that there will be an emergency meeting today between him and the contractors who have been affected by delayed payments.
According to this notice, which was covered with a text that says: “Intelligent cooperation will ensure that we solve the problems between us and KwaZulu-Natal with success”, the meeting will be held at the offices of the Department in Merebank, Durban, at 12 noon today.