The issue of who should benefit from a project for a development near Zandspruit has left leaders of the community divided.
Representatives of different parties in the area recently called for a public meeting with the community to try and resolve the jobs issue that is causing a divide in the community.
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According to David Mangena, a youth development activist and member of the ANC, a development programme on Boundary Road will only benefit the residents of Cosmo City as the people of Zandspruit have been excluded.
“The issue is about a contract that will see shopping centres built on Boundary Road in Zandspruit for which only the people of Cosmo City will be employed,” he said.
“All political parties met and tried to come up with a resolution on how the people of Zandspruit would benefit from it as well,” he added.
Mangena claimed that they also met with contractors who then explained to them how workers were recruited for the project.
“When we met with the management of the company, they told us they had met with the councillor of Zandspruit and Cosmo City, who decided to share the programme with both areas, which is a concern to us because the project is based in Zandspruit,” Mangena stated.
Gift Mkasi from the EFF weighed in to say that they’ve arranged for another meeting with the contractor to be held soon. The purpose is to ban councillors and illegitimate business forums from getting involved in tender projects as their involvement has seen people of Zandspruit being left out.
Councillor Victor Mafinya denied any ‘technical’ involvement in the project. He said, “I only got involved with the project because the contractor called me to say they will be working in my ward”.
He also denied excluding the people of Zandspruit, saying that Boundary Road borders Wards 114, 100 and 134, and that people from all those wards should benefit. Also, the project was still in the civils stage, a process that does not require plastering expertise, which is a skill offered by residents of Zandspruit, Mafinya clarified.
The contractor, who cannot be named at this stage, has been contacted for comment.
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