MBOMBELA – Nelsville community members took to the streets in protest at the Belo and Kies construction site along Samora Machel Drive last Thursday. The site is earmarked for a new development between Nelsville and Valencia.
The protesting residents burned tyres and barricaded the entrance to the development in Alpha Street, bringing work to a halt for the day. According to the developer, Russet Trading and Investment 95, the saga started in October last year after the community demanded that a community liaison officer (CLO) sourced from Nelsville be appointed at the site.
They also demanded that the contractor appoint locals from the Nelsville for the project, according to Belo and Kies director, André Kies.
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“There are individuals with political backgrounds who are steering the protest and bussing in protesters. We are in discussions with the client, Russet Trading, and proceedings returned to normal on Friday,” Kies said.
The Ward 17 councillor, Sanley van der Merwe, said a meeting was held at the Valencia Community Hall last Tuesday to resolve the tension between the community and the developer. She continued to say that the meeting took a turn for the worst and the angry protesters barred her and the ward secretary, Ellena Cameron, from leaving the hall.
“The bottom line is that this is a private development, and the contractor is under no obligation to the community. They have employed many locals besides those against whom legal action has been taken.”
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She added that the centre of the issue is the Preferential Procurement Framework Act, which makes provision for the 30 per cent rule.
“This development is private and therefore the contractor does not have to employ the 30 per cent rule.”
She continued to say that the developers have been very accommodating by requesting that two names of possible candidates be submitted for the position of CLO or local employment manager. She added that subsequent to this, no names were received from the community members.
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Instead, a person who is on the list of protesters served with the court interdict, claims to have been appointed as CLO, despite not being allowed on the site. Van der Merwe continued to say that the protest organisers accused her of trying to appoint her own CLO.
“There is no existing employment contract for her, because she is also listed on the court order.
“At the community meeting in Valencia, the process to appoint a CLO was opened. There were close to 300 people from outside Ward 17.”
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The developer agreed with Van der Merwe and said in a statement, “In terms of the law, a private contractor is not obligated to appoint a CLO, as this is a position provided for in government developments only.
“It has, however, in principle been agreed to appoint a person to represent the Nelsville community. We are informed that such a person, if appointed, will be selected out of appropriate candidates from the community.”
At the time of going to press, Lowvelder was scheduled to meet with community member, Franklin Sias, who declined to comment, saying that any comment would derail talks between the developer and the persons listed on the court interdict.
