Crowds gather in Bloemfontein to protest Manguang bus project
Construction on the depot came to a halt because of confusion over the municipal ward that should benefit from its construction.
Protesters gather in East End. Image: Bloemfontein Courant
An angry crowd that started marching from Heidedal on Monday morning has just occupied a piece of vacant land next to the SPCA in East End, Bloemfontein.
According to Bloemfontein Courant’s reporters on the scene, the protesters are unhappy about the new bus depot project recently rolled out by the Mangaung Metro Municipality.
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Mangaung Metro Municipality’s Integrated Public Transport Network (IPTN) had plans to build a depot for the major bus system, which came to a halt because of confusion over the municipal ward that should benefit from its construction, Bloemfontein Courant reported last month.
The project that was meant to bring employment opportunities, but was seemingly overtaken by politics.
In June, construction on the depot located in the industrial area of New East End came to a standstill when residents of Ward 47 disputed that jobs would be given to residents of Ward 1.
“We do not mind sharing the jobs but since the depot is a Ward 47 project we should have priority and majority of jobs. It is an opportunity for us to gain long-term skills for future employment,” said Leander Paulsen.
Royston van Heerden, an ANC representative in the ward’s committee, expressed that not only workers but subcontractors involved in the project should also be from Heidedal.
Protesters told Bloemfontein Courant today that they would shut down the project if their concerns were not heard.
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