Let’s stop toyi-toyiing – MEC
Small builders told to roll up their sleeves
ATOP provincial politician has urged small business owners to pull their weight and provide quality products before expecting the government to pay them.
Building a bridge between Nelson Mandela Bay construction companies and the government, Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism MEC Sakhumzi Somyo said as long as both parties played their parts, there would be no need for toyi-toyiing.
He was delivering the keynote address at the Eastern Cape Construction Summit at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium yesterday.
Setting his prepared speech aside, Somyo spoke from the heart to the hundreds of delegates, mostly building contractors and small business owners.
“As long as you are doing what you are supposed to do, there is no need to toyi-toyi. As government we do not want to invest in building the same house three times. This is wastage of taxpayers’ money and we need you to help us serve the people better.
“We need to spend their tax money better.”
Somyo said the companies involved in building infrastructure for the government should deliver quality products in the time frame set out.
Similarly, he undertook that the government would pay the companies’ invoices within 30 days, as required by law.
“We know that what kills companies – mainly SMMEs and upand- coming companies – is when they do not get paid on time. But as part of the contract, the quality of work must be up to standard.
“We have the money, you have the skills – let us partner together. If you deliver, we pay you and you grow – we contract you on other high-value projects.
“Then companies will grow in grading because of the value you provide.”
Somyo said fronting and colluding was unacceptable in the Eastern Cape building industry and that the government wanted to partner with local builders for at least 50% of all infrastructure projects in the province.
Another speaker was Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA) chairman Motse Mfuleni who also spoke frankly.
“Don’t just take the money and go and buy that X5 and forget about the project. We want you to be main role players on site,” Mfuleni said.
While small business owners had the right to protest, it was not a good message that was sent out to investors when roads and sites were blocked, he said.
Mfuleni said the MBDA wanted emerging contractors to participate on the contracts of the MBDA in the city, not just as sub-contractors but mentored to become the main contractors.
He said the MBDA’s Telkom Park development was the next big thing and it could be a R1-billion capital investment in a multiuse commercial centre.