SMME owners block office access
SANRAL workers were stopped from entering their offices in Port Elizabeth yesterday by small, medium and micro-sized enterprise (SMME) owners.
The owners claim they have not been given Sanral contracts, which is causing their businesses to suffer financially.
Bay SMME representative Baba Ningi said they would continue to block entrances to the Baywest Boulevard office until they were given work.
He called on Eastern Cape premier Phumulo Masualle to deal with this situation.
“Sanral only hires white companies all over this province. White companies don’t even want to work with SMMEs and Sanral is protecting the interests of these white companies.”
He said contracts were carried out this year without including any of the SMMEs.
“They have started a new project in Kemptson Road and yet again we have been denied the opportunity to participate.”
SMME owner Thandiwe Booysen, 46, said they had made countless appointments with Sanral but nothing had come of them.
“We are here to look for work, but all we get are excuses. I can’t operate without being given a contract, my business won’t survive much longer.”
Provincial Sanral project engineer Marlize Nel-Verwey said the SMMEs were invited along with others to a meeting on Friday to give them feedback on various contracts.
“This group did not come to the meeting. The claims about white companies being given work is one I am unaware of.”
She said several projects in the province had numerous opportunities for SMMEs.