Chaos, mayhem, and destruction are what can be found in the wake of the poor and substandard work of the “Blue Pipe Project” in Welkom and Hennenman.
What were once beautiful traffic islands and residential kerb stones can now only be described as heaps of sand, cement and broken pipes.
No reasonable care and skill were given to residents when the contractor provided this service. The project has been associated with long waiting times to finish work, inadequate communication with residents, unprofessional staff behaviour, and extensive damage to infrastructure including road maintenance and water supply.
“This is what residents had to endure with the installation of pipes in the Matjhabeng Municipality’s wards. Residential properties were left with extensive devastation, and no turnaround time for fixing the problems was communicated.
“Substandard quality of construction work that fails to meet established industry standards is what residents must be satisfied with,” says Coreen Malherbe, DA caucus leader for the Matjhabeng Local Municipality.
Questions arise regarding any oversight or subsequent management from the Matjhabeng Municipality regarding the quality of work the contractor provided to residents. Staff problems also frequently occur, where workers strike because of non-payment.
A lack of necessary resources or trained staff to provide the service effectively was also one of the residents’ biggest concerns
“A lack of necessary resources or trained staff to provide the service effectively was also one of the residents’ biggest concerns. Skills and work experience of the labourers are also questioned, as random names were given to the contractor of residents residing in specific wards where they then had to be employed,” Malherbe said.
In Hennenman, Maxie Badenhorst of the DA says they too are faced with destruction.
“One of our residents is questioning the competency of the contractors employed,” Badenhorst said.
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Malherbe said the DA Matjhabeng Caucus strongly condemns the damage to infrastructure and extensive devastation that wards were left with, as well as the poor workmanship and incomplete work performed.
The Consumer Protection Act 2008 specifically states that services must be provided with reasonable care and skill, raising questions about potential legal recourse for affected residents.
The ongoing problems highlight broader concerns about municipal project management and contractor oversight in the region.
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