Limpopo municipality fails to pay construction company R3m for pipeline project

A Limpopo construction company owner and her 40 construction workers will face a bleak Christmas this year after the Mopani District Municipality failed to pay the company a service fee of nearly R3 million.

The company, Zonobia Trading CC was contracted by the municipality on July 2018 for the construction of a reservour and a pipeline at a budget of R45 million.

More than ten villages and a drought of 13 years

The pipeline was earmarked to stretch from Legokwe village, passing through more than 10 villages to Mmadumane Village in the Bolobedu South under the, Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality.

When completed, the reservoir will store more than 10 mega-litre of water to end the prolonged drought which struck the thirsty communities of Bolobedu South for the past 13 years.

But each time the mogul, Dikeledi Malatji invoiced the council, she allegedly first had to obtain the power of a pen or sometimes take the municipality to courts before she could be paid.

Court battle

Early this year, Malatji hauled the municipality before the Polokwane High Court for the payment of R5 million.

Now the 52 year old single mother of four and two grand-children claims she had invoiced the municipality in September on the work she had completed early this year.

She, says the claim was for R2. 9 million. Since the invoice was submitted on 28 September, Malatji says no payment was made to date.

“What have I done to suffer like this.” asked Malatji during an exclusive interview with The Citizen on Monday.

“Because of this dilemma, I was forced to sell my house in Polokwane and some of my valuable assets in order to pay sub-contractors.” she said.

Threats

Some sub-contractors on site, Malatji said have begun threatening her with lawyers. She said they have since branded her a dishonest business woman who prays on emerging business people.

“I don’t know what I have done to the management of Mopani district municipality. Maybe it’s because I am a woman, or maybe it’s because I refused to give some of them sub-contracting work.

‘Payback the money or else’

“To all those who are responsible for withholding my payment, this is what I want to say:

“If you think you are punishing me, know that you are also punishing my construction workers, my sub-contractors and the people who voted you into power-the electorates. Pay me my money today or I am taking you back to court.” she threatened.

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A father of five working at the project who asked for his name to be withheld for fear of victimisation had only this to say:

Ripple effect

“I have not bought Christmas clothes for my children this year and neither do I have money to buy grocery.

Another worker, this time a bricklayer working on the project said he had to go to loan-sharks to cover all Christmas goodies for his family.

“I only believed I will get good money this month plus bonuses. But now I see I played with fire because no money is coming forward.” he said.

During a conference interview yesterday, the municipality confirmed receipt of the claim from Malatji but said it was rejected, owing it to several questional work, which needed to be attended to before payment.

This was denied by Malatji who claimed to have never received any rejection letter from the municipality. “This is a pack of bull. They know they have passed the 28 days payment deadline. They law says if they fail to remark within 28 days, they have to pay. Thats the law”

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Contacted for comment, Municipal Manager, Tshepo Mogano said he was aware of the impasse involving Malatji and the municipality.

“I am aware of the problem and we are willing to play ball. What I am not aware of is the pending invoice which Malatji claims to have submitted to my office. I will study the problem first with relevant stakeholders and revert. But ax for municipal officials seeking favours, that needs to be investigated because my municipality does not promote any form of underhand and or conflict of interest.” he said.

– news@citizen.co.za