SMMES want Oscar to intervene in R17m Intsika Yethu project

SMMES in the Chris Hani district municipality are up in arms amid claims they were passed over for work on a R17m water reticulation project.

They say they were not considered for the project even as subcontractors though businesses outside the area were favoured by the municipality.

The district municipality is undertaking the reticulation project in Intsika Yethu local municipality, with various villages the intended beneficiaries.

According to the Intsika Yethu Ward 17 Business Forum in Ncorha, near Cofimvaba, this was not the first time its members had been passed over by the Chris Hani district municipality for projects in the area.

Forum chair Simphiwe Waga said when its members took the matter up they were sent from pillar to post.

“It was shocking and annoying that the district municipality employs two SMMES from outside the ward while here there are more than 20 qualifying SMMES, all of which were disregarded.

“What do they have that we don’t have? We love development and we would not like projects to stall because of us, but this does not mean the Chris Hani district should always consider an outsider, at our expense, for projects in our areas.

“If we are disregarded in our own ward, and seen as a failure by our district municipality, where can we be considered?”

He said the forum’s members were all listed on the Chris Hani district municipality’s database of SMMES, but had not benefited from projects.

“We have [allegedly] been told there are over 4,000 SMMES and we will only benefit in 2040. That’s 18 years away is that a joke?

“Our municipality does not care about local entrepreneurship and the skills we have to benefit our people.

“This mischief is killing our SMMES.”

Chris Hani district municipality spokesperson Buli Ganyaza confirmed the municipality was investing more than R17m in water reticulation in

Intsika Yethu.

There was no wrongdoing on the part of the municipality in terms of the appointment of contractors, he said.

“Engagements were immediately conducted to explain processes to the satisfaction of the community,” Ganyaza said.

“Two qualifying SMMES from Intsika Yethu local municipality have been subcontracted as part of the district developmental programme for SMMES, as these are a focus area for economic development.”

Ganyaza said the engagements with the community served to introduce both the main contractor and subcontractors, including information on the scope of work to be undertaken.

“Consideration for appointment of SMMES is not confined to a ward. Rather, it is local municipality- and districtbased, to give all qualifying SMMES an opportunity.”

But the Intsika Yethu Ward 17 Business Forum vowed the matter would not end there, saying it would escalate its complaints to the provincial government.

“These people are exploiting our rights and we cannot tolerate that. Premier Oscar Mabuyane and Cogta MEC Zolile Williams, as well as finance MEC Mlungisi Mvoko, must intervene,” Waga said.

Our municipality does not care about local entrepreneurship and the skills we have to benefit our people. This mischief is killing our SMMES