Threatening emerging contractors block projects
WATER and sanitation projects planned by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality are being held to ransom by small businesses who go on site armed and threaten officials, demanding work.
This was revealed by infrastructure and engineering executive director Walter Shaidi on Friday, when he said projects worth R248-million had ground to a halt due to an impasse with emerging contractors.
The SMMEs are demanding a 30% work allocation in all projects done by the city. But delays in the supply management department to allocate work had caused some to not get work since last July, Shaidi said.
Giving a report to the infrastructure, engineering, electricity and energy committee, Shaidi said some emerging contractors came on site armed with knives, demanding work. “Most of our water and sanitation projects are blocked and the emerging contractors are becoming violent,” he said.
“The problem is quite serious, we are battling to go on with our planned projects.
“In sanitation, R112-million worth of projects are affected. In water, R136-million worth of projects are at stake.
“These contractors are so vicious that project managers are not going on site.
“In Motherwell Ward 54, they made it clear that myself and another director are not welcome there. If we pitch up we are at risk,” Shaidi said.
ANC councillor Andile Mfunda said: “We are so tired of hearing the same song, ‘delays in supply chain’. If we don’t fight with supply chain we will never spend the budget.
“We need the city manager and budget and treasury to address this issue.
“This is clear sabotage. We can’t accept delays by the supply chain,” Mfunda said.
Economic development, tourism and agriculture political head Andrew Whitfield said the city was in the process of reviewing its policy, which aimed to develop and support emerging contractors.
Bay SMME representative Baba Ningi rubbished claims by Shaidi that emerging contractors were threatening metro officials.
“That is not true. The sites that were closed were opened after we had discussions with the executive director,” Ningi said. “If there are violent people, they are not part of our forum.”