Cape Town - About 300 Khayelitsha residents gathered outside the construction site of the MyCiTi depot on the corner of Spine Road and Mew Way in Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain to demand that the project be paused based on their grievances.
Angry commuters gathered at the gate of the site on Tuesday after a long dispute involving the site manager and hired sub-constructors for the project.
The residents said the site manager failed to employ sub-constructors from Khayelitsha and that those who were employed under those sub-constructors were underpaid.
A community leader, Malusi Ulana, said: “We are here as residents because we have a problem with the site manager and the four sub-contractors under him.
“Khayelitsha resident workers are not paid fairly, and the project steering committee representing the workers has just realised that there’s an active court order that prevents them and us as community members from raising and discussing grievances.”
Khayelitsha Development Forum (KDF) chairperson Ndithini Tyhido said he was aware of the ongoing dispute over the employment on the project and that the matter was meant to be resolved last week but residents felt the site manager disregarded their grievances.
“I am aware of the ongoing dispute happening involving the site. As the KDF chairperson my priority is to protect the project.
“I tried engaging with all parties involved but when it comes to sitting down and discussing the issues, community members feel as if their grievances are being disregarded by the site manager.”
Mayco member for urban mobility Rob Quintas said. “Interference with multiple contractors and extortion attempts in May have set the project back by at least three weeks, with R27.4 million at risk in unspent capital budget.”
“With only two weeks left in the current financial year, the City’s Urban Mobility Directorate must report that due to extortionists, up to R58.6m expenditure is at risk on transport capital projects.
“At least seven major projects have been halted due to safety concerns on site, ranging from the construction of new public transport infrastructure to road reconstruction and stormwater maintenance, primarily in our most vulnerable communities.”