Contractor d itches work
Ward councillor cites funding problems as city wouldn’t budge
A ROAD infrastructure upgrade which has been stopped allegedly due to a shortage of funds has inconvenienced residents and school children from Kenville.
The multi-million rand project which included a bridge that would link Kenville residential and Springfield industrial areas began in 2017 and was expected to be completed in October, last year. But the contractor has stopped all work.
Workers who were employed from the area, told City Watch this week that their contracts were terminated in November by the contractor, Lungelihle Construction.
When we visited the site, there was no work in progress and the fence which barricaded the construction site had fallen apart.
The incomplete bridge posed a risk to pupils and residents who used it to get across to the nearby schools and industrial areas.
Sundrum Subramoney, principal at HSBP Institute of Learning, which was located a few metres from the bridge, said the work stoppage caused an inconvenience to pupils and parents visiting the school.
He said parents were complaining about the delays and some had opted to take their children elsewhere because of the road deviations.
“We are on the road which is affected by the construction and it has caused inconvenience to all of us in this area. We did not have a problem with the construction. It is part of the area’s development. Initially, we were told it was going to take six months but they kept on postponing until it stopped.
“Right now everything is at a standstill and nobody is telling us when the project will be completed. Some of the kids are now walking past this incomplete bridge and we are not sure if they are safe. Since November, nothing is going on here, as a result, people are walking through the site for quick access to their homes,” Subramoney said.
Sabelo Mkhize, a former contract worker, said they were told their contract ended in November while the project was still incomplete.
“The employer returned our belongings and we claimed from the Unemployment Insurance Fund. This, to us, showed it was the end even though there was no explanation as to when the work will resume,” he said.
Bobby Maharaj, the ward councillor, claimed the contractor experienced cash flow challenges and was forced to abandon the project.
He said the contractor had made an application to the ethekwini Municipality requesting additional funding.
“According to the information I received from the contractor, they ran out of funds and the municipality was not releasing additional funds for the project. At this stage, it is not clear when this project will resume.
“The contractor said he experienced labour challenges and lost money in the process. Right now only the municipality can provide the way forward,” he said.
The municipality and the contractor had not responded to queries by the time of publication.