Midrand residents protest for economic inclusion
MIDRAND – Midrand Local Economic Empowerment Forum led community members in a protest against Massmart.
Hundreds of Midrand residents took to New Road on 16 April to protest against Builders Warehouse and its group company, Massmart.
This, as Massmart has started with the construction of a Builders Warehouse store on New Road near the Carlswald Lifestyle Shopping Centre.
The Midrand Local Economic Empowerment non-profit company (NPC) led hundreds of residents to the streets from 6am.
Also read: #MidrandProtest: Hundreds of people protest against Massmart [VIDEO]
Benson Motsumi, the executive member of the NPC, said the protest was aimed at getting the attention of Massmart, following the start of the construction process on the site to build a Builders Warehouse store.
Motsumi said numerous Midrand locals have the ability, machinery and skills to be subcontractors of the project so that residents, and not only consumers, must also benefit from developments in the area.
“We sent a letter regarding our grievances to the project manager and followed it up with constant communication with Massmart but we were not taken seriously and our grievances were not being attended to therefore the mass action was aimed at ensuring Massmart listens to us,” said Mostumi.
Massmart said they have responded to the NPC regarding the allegations against them on 15 March.
According to Massmart’s communication manager, Refilwe Boikanyo, the construction of the Builders Warehouse had not started because discussions with the principal contractor were still underway and at the moment, only land works had kicked off.
Boikanyo said, “Locals were still going to be appointed after the negotiations with the principal negotiator had ended.”
Motsumi said the people were being ignored and the project was proceeding right in front of them yet they remain unemployed and sidelined in their own community and this action by big corporations should come to an end.
Rory O’Connor, the divisional central operations manager from Builders Warehouse, accepted the memorandum from Motsumi and has promised to consider all points listed in the memorandum as well as try and meet the expectations of the protestors.
O’Connor said Builders Warehouse has never, in the past, experienced backlash from the community and will need some time to thoroughly deal with the problem and come up with a win-win solution for all parties involved.
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