Construction of Leeto la Polokwane bus station at 79% complete
The City's Integrated Public Transport System still maintains that it is on track with finishing the project by June despite facing multiple delays.
POLOKWANE- The construction of the Leeto la Polokwane (LLP) bus station in the CBD currently stands at approximately 79% completion.
The civil works are complete and work on the upper structure is currently underway on location, on location at the corner of Thabo Mbeki and General Joubert streets.
Polokwane Municipality allocated the project at a budget of R24.7m for the 2022/23 and 2023/24 financial years and there have been no funding extensions yet, according to spokesperson, Rebotile Malakalaka.
The City’s Integrated Public Transport System (IPTS) still maintains that it is on track with finishing the project by June, with the civil works already having taken seven months from December 2022 despite facing multiple delays.
The initially six-month project (from June) was delayed by inclement weather that led to an extension of the December 2021 deadline to date.
It is spearheaded by Matakanye Construction as the main contractor and locally sourced Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) are benefitting through the supply of bricks, concrete and steel, even with the building of complementary ablution facilities, Malakalaka added.
The long delay in the project has, however, seen the closure of many shopts in the area as customers were restricted from reaching their shops.
In 2021, Polokwane Observer visited business owners who were still operating to find out how severe the situation affected them. One of them, Mpho Mokoma, said they were promised sign boards by the municipality, which indicate where customers can find their businesses, but the promise had not materialised.
“During an engagement session with the municipality, there were talks of compensation on personal rates and taxes as the project exceeded the six-month period that was initially stipulated. We have been awaiting further communication on how this will work. Businesses were also promised that they would be kept up to date on the progress on the site, however, there hasn’t been any communication from the contractor or the municipality.”
In response, then municipal public transport regulation and monitoring manager, David Ramakgwakgwa, said only one business had submitted its designs on time, and that the promise had been fulfilled for those who submitted the required information on time.
