Council coughs up millions for no work
Multiple firms get deals for same road projects
Eight companies have milked the embattled Emfuleni local municipality in the Vaal of more than R60m after they were paid for abandoned or poorly constructed infrastructure projects.
The municipality, which was put under administration by Gauteng premier David Makhura in June, is now unable to render some of the most basic services, including fixing blocked sewage pipes, stopping water leaks, collecting refuse and supplying water to all its residents.
In a written reply from Makhura’s office to the Gauteng legislature, shocking details emerged of how four companies abandoned unfinished infrastructure projects despite being paid more than R34m.
When Sowetan visited the area on Wednesday, it found several open manholes in incomplete storm water drains along one of the roads also left unfinished by a contractor.
Some of the roads due for upgrades in Sebokeng Zone 7 were supposed to have been completed in 2015 but still remained untarred despite millions already spent on developing them.
Nguna Road from Sebokeng Zone 7 to Evaton remained untarred with stacks of concrete slabs along the road, four years since construction began. Work has since came to a complete stop.
Emfuleni spokesperson Stanley Gaba said a payment dispute between the contractor and community resulted in the initial stoppage in the construction of two roads.
“The municipality has resolved the dispute, only to realise the contractor’s plant has been badly destroyed by vandals. The contractor has finalised the plans to continue work, and the project will be completed in October.”
Gaba said other projects were still under construction and that it was unusual for projects go over budget. “They are not projects with substandard work because each payment is accompanied by a lab report with test results.”
However, Sebokeng resident Cynthia Booi, said: “We’ve seen contractors being changed but work to construct the street never gets completed.”
In other projects cited in the legislature document, more than two contractors had to be appointed to complete work either abandoned or done poorly.
A company called Matlapa Suppliers Contractors Enterprise was fired for poor workmanship after being paid R16.3m to build social development offices in Sharpeville.
Gauflora, which was then appointed to complete the job, later abandoned the project after pocketing more than R9m. A third contractor has now been hired to complete the job.
Four other contractors were fired due to poor workmanship despite jointly walking away with more than R30m.
In Sebokeng Zone 6, Sowetan found a kilometre long stretch of road has been worked on by three contractors already since 2014 but remained a construction site with the surface still gravel.
Residents said they last saw workers more than a week ago. “We’ve even lost hope that it would ever be completed; these people just come and go,” said an elderly woman who refused to give her name.
The DA’s Kingsol Chabalala said this indicated a lack of project management and monitoring from the municipality.
“All these projects were intended to uplift and improve the lives of Emfuleni residents by creating employment and an environment conducive for the local economy to grow.”