Community centre ‘a R20m mistake’
Unused facility should rather have been clinic, residents say
KWALANGA, Uitenhage, residents have called the construction of a nearby multipurpose community centre a R20-million mistake which has riled them for the past two years.
During its construction in 2014, KwaLanga residents protested in 24th Avenue and North Street Extension – surrounding the structure – urging the Department of Human Settlements to build a clinic instead.
But now their anger has shifted to scorn, citing the department’s ignorance as the main reason for the R20 861 268 structure failing to host a single event.
However, the Department of Human Settlements insists that the reason for this is that the multipurpose community centre is still under construction.
Ward 50 councillor Xolani Nombexeza said he would hold a meeting with residents next to Ilinge High School on Tuesday to discuss the future of the unused building.
He said he would not comment any further before the meeting.
However, 24th Avenue resident Glynnis Jack, 39, said it was a case of too little too late.
“Now they want to have a meeting and discussions about the centre, but when it was built no one consulted with us as to what we want,” she said.
“The department is so ignorant, thinking it knows better about this place than we do.
“We didn’t even want this thing, we wanted a clinic which would have cost a tenth.
“They knew they were going to build more houses here, but it’s still only Rosedale Clinic helping thousands here.
“This was a R20-million mistake.”
The reporter was allowed entry to the centre by a security guard and it was discovered there was no electricity or running water.
All electrical wiring and plumbing have been installed but not connected.
The security guard, who did not want to be named, said: “The only thing worth stealing [here] was a stove and that was stolen less than a year after the building was done in 2015.”
Jack’s neighbour, Edward Ndamase, 54, said: “You see how they tease us,” pointing at a sign next to the centre stating the cost of the structure and its “socio-economic amenities”.
“Every day we must walk past a sign that says 20 million [rand] and then go home to our shacks where we live like ants cramped into these small houses.
“That sign says ‘youth information and resource centre’ but none of the youth has ever set foot in those grounds.
“This whole project was a mistake – it was just for show. It didn’t benefit anyone in this community,” Jack said.
But department spokesman Lwandile Sicwetsha said despite the structure being completed in 2015 and the initial scheduled completion date being October last year, the reason it was yet to host an event was that it was still under construction.
“Just because there are walls, windows and a roof does not mean the structure is complete,” he said.
“Services that are not yet installed will be installed as construction approaches final completion.
“It was supposed to be completed last year. When it was not, it prompted an unannounced visit [in November] by MEC [Helen Sauls-August] who gave instructions for various issues to be corrected.”
The issues referred to by Sicwetsha included resurfacing tennis courts and paving and installing a drainage system. The tennis courts and paving were completed in 2015.
“The contractor assumed the work was complete, however following our visit we realised there are issues with the quality of the job,” he said.
“The construction has been disrupted by vandalism, theft and community protests, but those have since been resolved.”
He said the department would meet the contractor this month “to see whether the required corrections have been completed and subsequently, a new completion date will be finalised”.
Last month, The Herald reported on an R18-million construction project by the Department of Human Settlements for a centre in the densely populated Chatty Extension area being vandalised and stripped of fencing and bricks.