Despite a meeting on Thursday between Sanral’s new CEO and the residents of Xolobeni village it appears the fight over the Wild Coast toll road is far from over.
Close to 200 villagers, led by the Amadiba Crisis Committee (ACC), had come in the rain, packing the hall of the Umngungundlovu Great Place where the meeting was held.
Amadiba Crisis Committee (ACC) spokeswoman Nonhle Mbuthuma said although Sanral CEO Skhumbuzo Macozoma had come to see what could be done to fix the mistakes, the answer was, “to move the N2 toll road away from us. The damage you have done here, you cannot fix it”.
“The community told him that Sanral shall stop all work, come fetch their steel bars and remove their machines and that this was not a negotiation. Do this today, not tomorrow,” said Mbuthuma, adding that the CEO had no response for many of the questions put to him.
Craig McLachlan, Sanral’s project manager, said although the discussion was frank and robust, with the community stating that it did not want the project, the agency hoped there would be further engagements to resolve whatever differences might exist.
McLachlan said Macozoma undertook to resolve whatever issues lay within his scope of authority. “The agency is reinvigorating its efforts to engage in constructive dialogue with communities and stakeholders about the intended road projects that affect them,” said McLachlan.
He said they were aware of the absence of the Amadiba Traditional Council headed by Chief Lunga Baleni, who initially gave the legal mandate.
“The Amadiba Tribal Authority has also declared its support for the project as have all other traditional authority leaders along the route, all local authority leaders as well as the provincial and national political leadership,” he said, adding that an independent survey by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) in 2015 found a 98.8% support for the N2 Wild Coast project among respondents in the Pondoland region.
McLachlan also denied that Macozoma was unable to answer some questions but was instead prevented from responding to most questions and issues raised.
He said on both occasions he was allowed to speak, he was interrupted by the chairperson of the meeting before he could conclude.
“Sanral currently has no machines in the area and all service providers have been requested to avoid the area until a solution can be found to the impasse with the community. However, work is continuing in other sections of the route,” said McLachlan. — ziphon@dispatch.co.za
Villagers 'blocking' roads
Close to 200 villagers, led by the Amadiba Crisis Committee (ACC), had come in the rain, packing the hall of the Umngungundlovu Great Place where the meeting was held.
Amadiba Crisis Committee (ACC) spokeswoman Nonhle Mbuthuma said although Sanral CEO Skhumbuzo Macozoma had come to see what could be done to fix the mistakes, the answer was, “to move the N2 toll road away from us. The damage you have done here, you cannot fix it”.
“The community told him that Sanral shall stop all work, come fetch their steel bars and remove their machines and that this was not a negotiation. Do this today, not tomorrow,” said Mbuthuma, adding that the CEO had no response for many of the questions put to him.
Craig McLachlan, Sanral’s project manager, said although the discussion was frank and robust, with the community stating that it did not want the project, the agency hoped there would be further engagements to resolve whatever differences might exist.
McLachlan said Macozoma undertook to resolve whatever issues lay within his scope of authority. “The agency is reinvigorating its efforts to engage in constructive dialogue with communities and stakeholders about the intended road projects that affect them,” said McLachlan.
He said they were aware of the absence of the Amadiba Traditional Council headed by Chief Lunga Baleni, who initially gave the legal mandate.
“The Amadiba Tribal Authority has also declared its support for the project as have all other traditional authority leaders along the route, all local authority leaders as well as the provincial and national political leadership,” he said, adding that an independent survey by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) in 2015 found a 98.8% support for the N2 Wild Coast project among respondents in the Pondoland region.
McLachlan also denied that Macozoma was unable to answer some questions but was instead prevented from responding to most questions and issues raised.
He said on both occasions he was allowed to speak, he was interrupted by the chairperson of the meeting before he could conclude.
“Sanral currently has no machines in the area and all service providers have been requested to avoid the area until a solution can be found to the impasse with the community. However, work is continuing in other sections of the route,” said McLachlan. — ziphon@dispatch.co.za
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