Questions over Merafong’s security
Striking workers of the Merafong City Local Municipality's new primary security company raised questions about municipal infrastructure safety again this week.
On Monday, Fochville residents found they could not use the services at the municipal traffic offices in the town. From early in the morning, personnel of the municipality’s new security company, Wenzile Phaphama Security, burnt tyres and prevented services at the facility from continuing.
The municipality appointed the company from Pretoria in February this year. They got a three-year tender for looking after the “physical security” of the municipality’s property.
The municipality’s previous security contractor, Mafoko Security Services, received a lot of criticism, especially because it failed to protect the electrical infrastructure from metal thieves.
Meanwhile, several cable thefts have occurred since the start of Wenzile Phaphama Security’s
tender.
In the past week alone, residents around 10th Avenue in Welverdiend, among others, were without electricity due to cable theft.
Although Wenzile Phaphama Security got the tender, the Herald recently learned that they subcontract to three smaller companies.
After the newspaper probed the municipality about this issue for weeks, they finally confirmed on Tuesday that TKT Security, Kgakanoko Security and B3 Security are subcontracting for Wenzile Phaphama Security. According to information received by the Herald, TKT Security, based in Station Street, is responsible for looking after the Carletonville Sports Centre, the new, still unused youth facility at the tennis courts in Calcite Crescent, the Carletonville swimming pool and the Carletonville Traffic Offices. B3 Security is responsible for looking after municipal facilities in Khutsong, and Kgakanoko Security is responsible for facilities in the Kokosi area.
However, questions arose over who would be responsible for the damages if something should happen at one of the facilities secured by one of the subcontractors.
The Herald took the issues to the municipality on Tuesday. “The issue has been resolved, and the protest was about payment issues,” the municipal spokesperson answered about Monday’s strike. “It is true that the three security companies are subcontractors, and all the responsibility lies with the main contractor. The municipality appointed a company that subcontracted because it was part of the tender requirement processes; the aim is to boost local economic development. The criteria used to appoint the main contractor was through evaluation and an adjudication process,” the spokesperson added.
