Water infrastructure project in Eersterust halted due to unrest

The city said the project was handed over to a contractor in December but had to be halted in February due to constant interference by some community members.

After a lengthy and heated meeting‚ it was agreed that the community would form five consortiums which would each be responsible for a portion of the work.

“The first consortium Ubuntu Holdings Group started its portion of the work as agreed. On April 23 2018‚ the project was stopped again due to grievances expressed by Ubuntu Holdings Group.”

Another intervention meeting was called on June 5. This intervention meeting‚ led by the Office of the Member for the Mayoral Committee: Utility Services‚ held on-site with all the relevant role-players‚ had resolved the following: - The blocks where work had started‚ would be completed. The main contractor and local consortium would complete the current work. These blocks would be pressure tested‚ switched over and finished off‚ with old networks capped in those streets. - The rest of the project would not continue and the contract would be cancelled. - The Division would revisit and amend the new tender document. The aim would be to improve the process and procedure followed by the main contractor to appoint local emerging contractors (LEC’s) and/or consortiums in future phases. - The incorporation of 5 consortiums‚ each consisting of 4 to 8 companies‚ would not be viable on a project of this size. - The rates that were approved for the main contractor were not suitable for local consortiums to make a profit. - The local consortium spent too long on the portion of work that was allocated to them and therefore the cost for wages were too high. - Proper training of the LEC’s prior to commencement of the construction work was a necessity. - Funding (partially or fully) would be requested via the adjustment budget in 2018/19 in order to start a new project in Eersterust or alternatively funding would be requested for the 2019/20 financial year.

On June 13‚ the city said‚ the site camp was vandalised during unrest in Eesterust.

“In addition‚ the Jersey barriers and pipes stored at the site camp were burned as well as the fence around the site camp was stolen. The contractor was only allowed back to site on Monday‚ June 18 2018‚ to finish the work as per the agreement reached on June 5 2018.”

- TimesLIVE