Residents of Makweteng Township in Barkley West outside Kimberley are calling on the Department of Education in the Northern Cape not to let the construction of a school in the area to collapse following abandonment of the project by the contractor.
It is alleged that the department failed to pay the construction company. Residents claim that the department promised the community that over R90 million has been set aside for the construction of the school.
In 2019, the residents were given a lifeline when the construction of the new local school commenced. Now their hopes have been dashed after the construction company Stimos pulled the plug on the project.
The construction company told workers that it can no longer pay them because of lack funds. The company claims that the Department of Education has stopped paying for the project.
Speaking on behalf of the residents, Tebogo Raadt says they fear that the school will be vandalised, as security staff stationed at the site to guard the school, is threatening to leave, due to non-payment.
“As the community we are concerned that at the end of the day this property will turn into a white elephant whereby the government starts projects and left it uncompleted. So we are trying to engage with the department to come on board and as they promised to us when the project commenced that there is R98 million available for the project of this school. So we just kindly request them that they should continue so that our kids can have a place they can come and attend school because all the schools locally are overcrowded.”
Construction workers say they have been left in limbo since stopping work from December.
“Our work here at school was stopped on the 11th of December 2020 until now. This is because the contractor says he does not have money complaining that the department did not pay him. Our unemployment has affected our lives because we pinned all our hopes to the work that we are doing here at the school.”
“In December there were those that were cut and 22 were left. And then on the 11th of December we received a message to tell us our employment has been terminated. The remaining 22 has also been laid off, the employer doesn’t want anyone. We asked where is our payment, and our employer said we have to wait a bit until he gets the money.”
The Spokesperson for the Department of Education Lehuma Ntuane says due to COVID-19 all the departments major infrastructure projects had to be put on hold, which led to delays in the completion of the school.
“We are currently processing the outstanding payment due to the constructor which is Stimo and we hope to finalise it in due course. However, we want to appeal to the community to remain calm and allow us necessary time and space to address this matter procedurally and amicably with the contractor.”
The Department of Education says it had to review all outstanding projects in order to grant extensions for the resumption of work in all delayed projects.
