A contractual dispute between the provincial department of public works and an East London construction company has stalled the building of classrooms at an Eastern Cape school.
The Daily Dispatch has learnt that My Pride Smile Africa is at loggerheads with public works over the completion of a nearly R6-million tender to build two Grade R classroom blocks.
They are meant for 240 children at Kayzer Ngxwala Primary School in Kwazakhele township in Port Elizabeth.
My Pride Smile Africa owner Sikumbule Mqomboti said the department was to blame for delays.
“On the date of site handover the contract drawings were not ready and approved by the municipal council and thus we could not proceed with the works. The drawings were never approved by the municipality although we were on site,” Mqomboti said.
He said on realising the approval was not coming, public works issued an “illegal” instruction for the company to commence with the building two months into the contract without the relevant council approval. They also found out that the building plans were incorrect.
He said they would challenge the department’s decision to terminate the contract.
Public works provincial spokesman Mphumzi Zuzile confirmed that work had stalled due to the litigation.
“The reason we cannot build is because these people have taken us to court.”
He said the state attorney had advised the department not to appoint another contractor until the matter was finalised in court, adding that the tender with the contractor had been terminated due to poor performance.
Zuzile said the department had plans approved by the local council to build the school, adding they would not have issued a tender while the drawings were not approved.
Attempts to obtain comment from provincial education spokesman Loyiso Pulumani and the school at the time of writing were unsuccessful.
R6m classroom project stalls due to squabble
The Daily Dispatch has learnt that My Pride Smile Africa is at loggerheads with public works over the completion of a nearly R6-million tender to build two Grade R classroom blocks.
They are meant for 240 children at Kayzer Ngxwala Primary School in Kwazakhele township in Port Elizabeth.
My Pride Smile Africa owner Sikumbule Mqomboti said the department was to blame for delays.
“On the date of site handover the contract drawings were not ready and approved by the municipal council and thus we could not proceed with the works. The drawings were never approved by the municipality although we were on site,” Mqomboti said.
He said on realising the approval was not coming, public works issued an “illegal” instruction for the company to commence with the building two months into the contract without the relevant council approval. They also found out that the building plans were incorrect.
He said they would challenge the department’s decision to terminate the contract.
Public works provincial spokesman Mphumzi Zuzile confirmed that work had stalled due to the litigation.
“The reason we cannot build is because these people have taken us to court.”
He said the state attorney had advised the department not to appoint another contractor until the matter was finalised in court, adding that the tender with the contractor had been terminated due to poor performance.
Zuzile said the department had plans approved by the local council to build the school, adding they would not have issued a tender while the drawings were not approved.
Attempts to obtain comment from provincial education spokesman Loyiso Pulumani and the school at the time of writing were unsuccessful.
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