Eastern Cape
Transport MEC Xolile Nqatha assured the community of Hluleka in Ngqeleni, under
Nyandeni Local Municipality, that their wishes were the same as the department’s
commitment to complete what it had already started.
This comes
after the community took to the streets in protest over delays in construction
of Phase 2 of the road between Ntlaza and Hluleka Nature Reserve.
The
protestors were demanding the completion of the department’s Phase 2 Project of
tarring the road from the R61 to Hluleka Nature Reserve.
A stretch of 16km from
the R61 towards the Nature Reserve has been tarred already as part of Phase 1
of this big project.
Phase 2 of
the project is a stretch of 32km long.
Nqatha
dispatched senior officials responsible for road infrastructure to address
protestors that have blockaded the R61 road near Hluleka, on Monday, August 14.
Nqatha said,
The
department says a contractor that was tasked to undertake Phase 2 of the
project has shown early signs of some shortcomings in its capacity to carry out
the task.
“This has
left the department with no choice but to terminate its contract and find a
replacement contractor. This has meant further delays to the project which has
drawn some frustration to the community leading to the protest action,” said Department of Transport spokesperson, Unathi Binqose.
In July last
year, the then Trasport MEC Weziwe Tikana-Gxothiwe introduced Gorogong Razz
Civils JV as the appointed contractor tasked with Phase 2 of the road project
to the community of Hluleka.
R444 million
was budgeted for Phase 2 of the project.
