The construction project to build two additional stormwater detention ponds and increase capacity of another in the heart of Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth, has been halted.
THE R27-million construction project to build two additional stormwater detention ponds and increase capacity of another in the heart of Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth, has been halted due to a battle over its lucrative budget.
The closure has already cost taxpayers an extra R400 000 since unidentified exempted micro enterprises (EMEs) shut down the project on October 5.
An EME is a business that has turnover of less than R5-million a year.
The project is intended to slow down water flowing through stormwater drains from Lovemore Heights.
National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Nafcoc) adviser Litemba Singapi labelled the closure as “thuggery”.
“Nafcoc has never been party to any decision that is aimed at closing projects centred on community upliftment. This thuggery attitude is wrong. We do not support the closure of this project,” he said.
Singapi said standard practice in the Bay was for EMEs to get 25% of the work.
“I was told there was a lack of transparency to accommodate these people in Summerstrand,” he said.
Summerstrand has had significant problems with stormwater buildup before, as most drainage systems in Port Elizabeth flow from inland through the coastal suburb on its way to the sea.
The first pond was to be built on the corner of Louis Botha Crescent and Ben Viljoen Road, with the second on the corner of Bulbring Road and McWilliams Street.
The municipality also planned to increase the capacity of an existing pond on the corner of Admiralty Way and Strandfontein Road.
Municipal spokesman Mthubanzi Mniki said it was difficult to point fingers at a specific EME.
“The project was stopped by EMEs who demanded that they be appointed as subcontractors.
“The stoppages are causing delays to completion of the project and standing time costs are charged by the contractor,” he said.
The daily stoppage rate for the project is about R9 216 a day.
Mniki said the EME subcontractors would be appointed using a new supply chain management process.
A list of subcontractors would be made available and would compete for the work packages.
DA Ward 2 councillor Dean Biddulph said there had been a longstanding feud between contractors and the EMEs, who felt they did not get a big enough slice of the pie.
“The project has a timeline and the budget has been allocated, but out of the blue it stopped.
“I understand the frustration of the EMEs. However, nobody should be allowed to simply interfere and disrupt work,” he said.
Biddulph said residents now had to bear the brunt of the unfinished work.
The post Project closure ‘thuggery’ appeared first on HeraldLIVE.