Student claims college did not pay him for campus paint job

AN EAST London student hired by a local college to paint its premises claims he was not paid for the job, forcing him to borrow money to pay his workers.

Bonani Nside said he was hired by Brooklyn City College to paint its five-storey campus in the city centre earlier this year.

Nside runs a small painting business when he is not in class and was hoping to use the money to market his small business.

According to Nside, the college agreed to provide him with paint and other material and pay him R6 000 for his services.

Things went sour after just 30 days when the paint supplied by the college ran out.

Nside claimed by this time he had painted most of the college’s walls, ceilings and window frames and was left with only four offices before completing the job.

After reporting the matter to the campus manager several times, Nsinde said he eventually stopped going to the college and now they did not want to pay him for the work he has already done.

“They did not provide me with paint although they kept on promising they would.

“I used to go to the college about three times a week about the matter, but they continued to give me the runaround.”

Nsinde said he tried several times to contact the college owner, who is said to be working at the Johannesburg-based head office.

Nsinde said he felt the college was taking advantage of him because he was a student.

“I just want them to pay me for the work I have done. When they decide to get the paint, I will go back and continue. It is their fault that I cannot complete the remaining offices.”

Campus manager David Nayi said he had spoken to the owner about the issue and the owner said he would only pay Nsinde once the work was completed.

“I cannot pay Bonani because my boss is the one who has to pay him and he is in Johannesburg.”

The Dispatch tried contacting the owner of the school, known only as Mr Irvin, but he was not available. —