Multimillion rand project stalled
INSTABILITY in Mnquma municipality stalled a multimillion rand road tarring and rehabilitation project for two months as the company awarded the contract stopped work over non-payment.
This is according to Eagle Ukhozi Civil, who was awarded the contract in January to upgrade, rehabilitate roads and blocked storm water drainage systems in Butterworth, Centane and Ngqamakhwe. However, Thembelani Ndlazi, the company’s director, said he abandoned the job as he had not been paid for two months, allegedly due to political and administrative instability, which has gripped the municipality since the August 3 local government elections.
Ndlazi was reacting to mayor Thobeka Bikitsha’s announcement at her mayoral imbizo this week that the company had abandoned the project halfway through despite being paid R20-million.
In a statement, municipal spokesman Loyiso Mpalantshane said Bikitsha had vowed to investigate why the company did not complete the project.
The municipality was verifying the quality of the work done in Butterworth’s Extensions 6, 7 and 24 and Vuli Valley when it found that Eagle Ukhozi was no longer on site.
“The service provider has resigned despite being fully paid and work has come to a standstill,” Mpalantshane quoted Bikitsha as saying in the statement.
However, Ndlazi told the Daily Dispatch yesterday this was not true.
“It’s quite unfortunate that when the mayor thought we abandoned the project she doesn’t find out what our challenge is.
“But I won’t criticise her for that because we have been dealing mainly with the administration.” — ndamasem@dispatch.co.za