The City of Cape Town has approached the Western Cape High Court for an interdict against development and business forums that allegedly threatened the contractors working on the MyCiTi expansion project along AZ Berman Drive in Mitchells Plain.
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The City’s Mayco member for urban mobility, Rob Quintas, says work at the site was forcibly put on hold ‘after interference from disgruntled development and business forums in Mitchells Plain’.
The project has reportedly been delayed since 28 February 2023. ‘City of Cape Town will approach the Western Cape High Court for an interdict against those who are delaying the MyCiTi bus service construction project along AZ Berman Drive in Mitchells Plain.’
‘Individuals associated with five so-called development and business forums in the Mitchells Plain area have forced the contractor off-site where we are busy with construction work related to the roll-out of the MyCiTi bus service. We are now heading into the seventh day of the work stoppage along AZ Berman Drive.’
He adds that the contractor had no alternative but to withdraw from the area. ‘The group has also vowed to burn machinery should work continue and their demands not be met.’
‘We will not tolerate this thuggish behaviour. This is why we will approach the court for relief.’
The incidents were reported to the South African Police’s organised crime unit, which is currently investigating the matter.
Ward 76 Councillor Avron Plaatjies told the Weekend Argus that he is disappointed by the halt of this project. ‘Just recently, I received a call from the community informing me of a reduction in water supply. I went to the site and saw that water was going to waste.’
‘I alerted the city’s water and sanitation service, and when they arrived, they confirmed that the valve had been torn off, resulting in the massive water leak in AZ Berman. This has also impacted traffic during peak hours.’
‘The only ones who are paying the price for this are the Mitchell’s Plain residents. I strongly deplore the conduct of a few that have caused us, the residents, to suffer.’
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However, the Weekend Argus reports that business forum member Marshall Nelson is unapologetic about the threats.
‘Projects are being undertaken by big companies, Martin and East being one of them, doing the MyCiTi project in Mitchells Plain and we then discovered there is no empowerment plan for our entrepreneurs.’
‘When we’ve raised these concerns with the City of Cape Town, having meetings at the sub-council, we were told that they are going to assist us. Later they came back to say they don’t have to assist us because there is nothing in the contract from the CoCT that obligates them to do empowerment. We then asked “Is this only for slaves?”‘
‘They said that if they employ a few people, there is nothing we can do and they already have their team. We wanted to know how our entrepreneurs are to grow if these opportunities are not given to them. They insist that they are not obligated to do empowerment.’
‘Because we are raising our concerns, we are now told we are extortionists, they are using this to protect their white friends.’
‘Why do we have to struggle to find work in our communities when people from outside come in and chow the millions in front of us? It’s not fair, when we approach them they run to courts and accuse us of extortion but they are the biggest extortionists.’
According to Quintas, one of the main MyCiTi bus routes will operate along AZ Berman Drive once the project is complete. ‘The contract concerns the widening of AZ Berman Drive between the intersections with the R300 and Wespoort Drive to accommodate two dedicated bus lanes along this stretch.’
‘The five business forums met with the City last week and made demands about empowerment and the waiver of legislative requirements related to insurance and occupational health and safety.’
‘We refused to give in and the very next day a group of people arrived at the site, intimidated the contractor and staff, and brought work to a standstill.’
Michael Jacobs, the deputy chair of the Mitchells Plain United Residents Association (MURA), says the project halt is concerning. ‘It is always worrying that projects of benefit to the whole community are being forced to halt or abandoned through threats of violence and intimidation.’
‘We call on councillors and officials to take the Mitchell’s Plain community and organisations who have the best interest of the community at heart into their confidence before taking steps to just halt projects.’
‘If there are instances of alleged intimidation and criminality then it must be dealt with decisively through the criminal justice process. If it is a contractual dispute or issues of local labour or subcontractors being excluded from the process then the sub-council and councillors need to bring the affected parties together to ensure that issues are dealt with expeditiously.’
‘We cannot allow projects meant to improve the lives of communities to be jeopardised, because the City cannot ensure the safety of contractors and employees. We are reminded of similar issues when the Beacon Valley Housing Project was stopped by the City citing intimidation, violence and other concerns.’
‘So as MURA we call on the City to bring all affected parties together and also call a public meeting to inform the community of these grave challenges to the MyCiTi project.’
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Picture: MyCiTi Bus / Facebook