Work on the ill-fated R84-million project to upgrade Fleet Street has ground to a halt, and the area now resembles a ghost town with dust swirling from the stretch of road that has been ripped up.
BCM spokesman Keith Ngesi has confirmed that the contractor, Kempton Park-based Siyahlobisa Projects, suspended work on September 16.
However, a veil of silence has descended upon the stalled project, with involved parties saying BCM had instructed them not to comment to the media.
The Fleet Street Rehabilitation Project was launched by BCM with great fanfare a year ago when Mayor Zukiswa Ncitha turned the sod.
But now the project has ceased, leaving behind a massive, dusty hole in the first phase of the project situated between Currie and Fitzpatrick roads.
Mayor Ncitha did not return Daily Dispatch’s calls yesterday.
Desperate business owners said they had suffered mammoth business losses because their customers could not access them.
The first zone should have been completed in February and the full road restructuring project was to have lasted two years.
However, in a public letter to affected parties in September, Siyahlobisa Projects said it had suspended work until further notice and blamed BCM’s appointed engineering project managers for the predicament.
“As the contractor we are witnessing rather serious challenges from BCM’s appointed project managers (engineers) and we have requested BCM to intervene and help resolve the disputes which relate mainly to incorrect engineering designs, contractual supervision, management and general site instructions.”
Siyahlobisa site manager Dries Brits confirmed that the consulting engineers in question were Hatch Goba, but also said he had been instructed by BCM not to speak to the media.
Hatch Goba engineer Trevor Bowman also declined to comment and referred media queries to BCM.
The letter from Siyahlobisa further stated that it would “not be fair” to the community or business operators to continue with the work “under current circumstances”.
“We anticipate that BCM will resolve the issues within a reasonable space of time and that serious work will resume as soon as possible.”
However Brits did say that 42 workers had been laid off.
Border-Kei Chamber of Business executive director Les Holbrook said he knew the contract with Siyahlobisa has been suspended but he, too, was in the dark about the future of the project.
The frozen project and the lack of information surrounding it triggered Democratic Alliance BCM caucus spokesperson Lance Weyer to demand answers from BCM.
In a statement he said BCM had failed to communicate with residents and businesses for many months and that he had written to Mayor Zukiswa Ncitha to clarify the situation last week.
“The project is a massive disaster. I asked the mayor to provide answers last Wednesday, but have heard absolutely nothing.
“She needs to answer because this is an R84-million project and because it is causing people hardship.
“It is not acceptable behaviour not to account for what is going on,” said Weyer.
He raised several issues relating to the terminated project, including the fact that large trucks leaving the arterial R72 were now damaging Quigney’s suburban roads.
Eleanor Matroos of Signs Unlimited, situated on the deeply rutted Browning Street, said trucks were damaging the road and keeping customers away.
On the corner of Fleet and Currie streets, Bryson’s Tyre and Exhaust manager Jan Hietink said articulated trucks were struggling to take the tight turn into Currie Street and that a high rig had hit the corner of the building, causing damage.
Weyer also pointed out that on site unconnected drains had been left open and that dust was a “major irritation”.
Ngesi said incomplete manholes had been barricaded and BCM’s legal department was “engaging” with affected parties.
He said the municipality was unaware of rumours that the contractor’s equipment had been repossessed and said to BCM’s knowledge all workers had been paid to the end of September. — barbarah@dispatch.co.za
Fleet Street rehabilitation disaster
BCM spokesman Keith Ngesi has confirmed that the contractor, Kempton Park-based Siyahlobisa Projects, suspended work on September 16.
However, a veil of silence has descended upon the stalled project, with involved parties saying BCM had instructed them not to comment to the media.
The Fleet Street Rehabilitation Project was launched by BCM with great fanfare a year ago when Mayor Zukiswa Ncitha turned the sod.
But now the project has ceased, leaving behind a massive, dusty hole in the first phase of the project situated between Currie and Fitzpatrick roads.
Mayor Ncitha did not return Daily Dispatch’s calls yesterday.
Desperate business owners said they had suffered mammoth business losses because their customers could not access them.
The first zone should have been completed in February and the full road restructuring project was to have lasted two years.
However, in a public letter to affected parties in September, Siyahlobisa Projects said it had suspended work until further notice and blamed BCM’s appointed engineering project managers for the predicament.
“As the contractor we are witnessing rather serious challenges from BCM’s appointed project managers (engineers) and we have requested BCM to intervene and help resolve the disputes which relate mainly to incorrect engineering designs, contractual supervision, management and general site instructions.”
Siyahlobisa site manager Dries Brits confirmed that the consulting engineers in question were Hatch Goba, but also said he had been instructed by BCM not to speak to the media.
Hatch Goba engineer Trevor Bowman also declined to comment and referred media queries to BCM.
The letter from Siyahlobisa further stated that it would “not be fair” to the community or business operators to continue with the work “under current circumstances”.
“We anticipate that BCM will resolve the issues within a reasonable space of time and that serious work will resume as soon as possible.”
However Brits did say that 42 workers had been laid off.
Border-Kei Chamber of Business executive director Les Holbrook said he knew the contract with Siyahlobisa has been suspended but he, too, was in the dark about the future of the project.
The frozen project and the lack of information surrounding it triggered Democratic Alliance BCM caucus spokesperson Lance Weyer to demand answers from BCM.
In a statement he said BCM had failed to communicate with residents and businesses for many months and that he had written to Mayor Zukiswa Ncitha to clarify the situation last week.
“The project is a massive disaster. I asked the mayor to provide answers last Wednesday, but have heard absolutely nothing.
“She needs to answer because this is an R84-million project and because it is causing people hardship.
“It is not acceptable behaviour not to account for what is going on,” said Weyer.
He raised several issues relating to the terminated project, including the fact that large trucks leaving the arterial R72 were now damaging Quigney’s suburban roads.
Eleanor Matroos of Signs Unlimited, situated on the deeply rutted Browning Street, said trucks were damaging the road and keeping customers away.
On the corner of Fleet and Currie streets, Bryson’s Tyre and Exhaust manager Jan Hietink said articulated trucks were struggling to take the tight turn into Currie Street and that a high rig had hit the corner of the building, causing damage.
Weyer also pointed out that on site unconnected drains had been left open and that dust was a “major irritation”.
Ngesi said incomplete manholes had been barricaded and BCM’s legal department was “engaging” with affected parties.
He said the municipality was unaware of rumours that the contractor’s equipment had been repossessed and said to BCM’s knowledge all workers had been paid to the end of September. — barbarah@dispatch.co.za
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