Workers fear job security as talks hold up Go!Durban
Construction contract workers fear for their job security after Go!Durban project on hold for the sixth week.
AS ongoing talks between the City and taxi operators continue after disgruntled taxi operators chased construction workers off GO!Durban project sites across the city almost six weeks ago, hundreds of site workers fear they may lose their jobs.
A worker who spoke to Berea Mail on conditions of anonymity for fear of repercussions said she feared she might not have a job at all if work did not continue. “On 21 March 2016 the GNTA, Greater Northern Taxi Association and its members and affiliates arrived on our site and demanded that all construction work be stopped. They threatened workers with their lives and set plant and equipment alight. Since then the site has come to a standstill. All IRPTN construction works, north of the Umgeni, has been suspended. Contractors and local subcontractors incur huge losses as they are not being paid by the eThekwini Transport Authority.
“Workers are not being paid as no work can be executed and the ETA is not paying contractors for labour during this period,” she said.
The employee added the company could not guarantee staff safety as the taxi association and its members will not allow any work to recommence until their grievances are resolved. “The frustrating thing is that nobody is doing anything as a matter of urgency, while they hold the City to ransom. We can't even have our site workers fix road signs, or paint roads or replace stolen signage,” she added.
EThekwini municipality’s spokesperson, Thulani Mbatha, confirmed the City leadership and taxi leadership have been in discussions to resolve the taxi industry’s concerns over the GO! Durban project. “The negotiations to resolve the issues, and for the construction to resume, are going well. The City is positive that the construction will resume as soon as possible,” Mbatha said.
“Previous taxi association disruptions have resulted in millions of rands in losses which have affected not only the parties involved in these contracts, but the taxpayers as well,” said the concerned employee.
