Vadi promises to use locals in road upgrade
DIEPSLOOT - Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Ismail Vadi, warned Diepsloot residents on 23 February to desist from chasing away constructors in their area when demanding a slice of the tender for the R576-million phase two upgrading of William Nicol Drive.
Vadi issued the warning outside Steyn City while delivering a keynote address during a sod-turning event which marked the start of phase two. “I want to make it clear that we will not tolerate a situation where the constructor [who received the tender] is blocked from doing his work by local residents demanding a piece of the cake. That must be done peacefully and I am sure the local residents will get 40 percent of the value of the tender. We want all labour to be sourced from local communities,” said Vadi.
A key component of the project is the engagement of small to medium sized businesses as subcontractors, the employment of local labour, particularly youth and women, and the training and upskilling of employees involved in the project.
Vadi also implored the contractor, Mandla Lubbe of Lubbe Construction, to complete the project within 22 months without exceeding the allocated budget. “We have faith in you that you will do a good job and soon we shall come back here to cut the ribbon to mark the completion of work,” said Vadi.
Lubbe told Fourways Review that works have already kicked off, adding that everything was going according to schedule. “We are excited about this chance to offer our services to the community and we shall deliver,” he said.
Vadi said that development and expansion of the transport infrastructure and road network were critical for further economic growth, particularly at a time when developing economies were experiencing a downturn.
The project is jointly funded by Steyn City Development and the department of Roads and Transport and is scheduled to be completed by September 2017.
“The principal contractor will implement labour-intensive construction methods for the installation of concrete kerbing, drains, gabions, stormwater outlet head walls and inlets and road signs,” said Vadi.
The K46 will be expanded from a single carriageway to dual carriageway in order to improve access and increase mobility to Diepsloot, Fourways, Dainfern and southwards towards Randburg and the N14 highway.
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