The steering committee for Toekomrus’ infamous Multipurpose Centre expressed its dissatisfaction with the oversight inspection conducted by the Democratic Alliance (DA).
The DA is being accused of abusing power and showing no transparency for inspecting the centre that has remained incomplete since early in 2012.
Speaking to the Herald on Friday 8 June, Muriel George, chairperson of the committee also disputed what the DA said about ‘jobs for pals’. She was adamant that the steering committee had made sure that only Toekomsrus residents were employed for the project.
“They are here and we can even prove it to you,” George said to the Herald.
She said the development was halted by many delays, and now the community of Toekies intends to take on the project themselves so that the incomplete facility that is standing like a white elephant will no longer be used by vagrants and criminals as their hideout.
In response to what the DA had said about corruption taking over the project, George said, “Yes, we were not happy with the previous builder. From day one we had said to the DA we were not happy, but they allowed the person to go on.”
George also said at the time, the DA would only give jobs to people they knew.
“We have stepped in and said this would no longer happen, because we as the steering committee have a database in which three groups are included – the youth, adults and people living with disabilities.”
She said the database is used on first-come-first-serve basis.
“If you bring in a CV in October, you will be considered for the first jobs that become available,” she said, alleging that the DA was against this. “There were seven projects, and seven of the DA members were community liaison officers.”
She said these development projects were for streets, graveyards and paving.
“We are not fighting anyone, we are fighting issues. The community is taking back what is theirs and we want to see things happen, no matter what political party is in charge.”
Asked about the steps that will be taken by the community, George said, “We will make sure that the end product is successful and that when we hand it over, the community takes charge”.
Kenneth Khumalo, spokesperson for the National Economic Freedom Community Civic Association (NEFCCA) said, “We cannot afford to be pointing fingers because this is about community development. If we go and pull out records, be part of setting selection criteria, employing people and overseeing the subcontractors, we will see that the steering committee has brought economic development for the community of Toekomsrus”.
Khumalo also said the current steering committee has brought transparency and accountability.
“What the DA was doing when they were here for an oversight inspection was an abuse of power by their member of parliament. They know, if they need an oversight inspection report, they can get it from the municipality,” Khumalo added.
DA MP Jacques Julius responded by saying, “It is disingenuous for them to claim that we are abusing our power; they do not have any powers. We have a constitutional obligation to do that. We came there on the basis that a petition was handed in at the Provincial Legislature. We were acting on our constitutional obligated mandate.”
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