Residents demand jobs on paving project

WITH frustration boiling over due to the lack of employment opportunities, residents of Homelite in Kimberley barricaded the entry roads to the area this week to demonstrate their anger over the non-employment of locals on a paving project.

Residents of Haddock Street, Homelite, took to the streets after they discovered that no one from their ward was employed on a local paving project that was supposed to start this week.

According to the angry residents, the ward councillor had promised them that only people residing in the area would be employed on the project.

“We all welcomed the paving project as that would mean our streets are maintained. We were very excited about the project. The councillor then told residents in this area that only local people would be working on the project. We were then even more excited as we do not have jobs and the youth are in desperate need of employment,” said the residents.

“We then got ourselves ready and even took our documents and curriculum vitae (CVs) to the councillor. We delivered our personal documents to his house with the belief that we would be working on the project as he promised. He never once said that there had been a change in employment criteria.”

The residents said they were shocked to find people who were not from the area working on the project.

“We were excited to hear that the project will be starting this week, but we were all in the dark as to who was actually hired to work on the project. We then found out that none of the residents in this area were hired on the project. All the employees on the project were people we did not know and who did not stay in this area.

“We called the councillor to get clarity on this matter, but he refuses to answer our calls. This is very heartbreaking as the councillor has toyed with the emotions of people. We need answers on why people from outside are employed on this project.

“We do understand that the roads need to be fixed, but why not use the opportunity to create jobs for those who are in desperate need of an income? We do not want to stop the project, but more strict action needs to be taken against councillors who feel that they can play with the emotions of people after they have identified the plight of the people.”

The executive mayor of Sol Plaatje Municipality, Kagisho Sonyoni, said the issue will be discussed and an amicable solution found during a community meeting to be held next Friday, October 27.

“I met with the residents of Ward 3, which includes Homelite, Homevale and Extension. We had a community meeting three months ago where the residents indicated that they wanted paving in the street. We acknowledged their request and activated a team to make an assessment. We then received the green light that we could commence with the project, but that we would make use of internal labour, meaning municipal employees would work on the project,” said Sonyoni.

“During my meeting with the residents during the protest, we heard that the residents were unhappy about local people residing in the area not being employed on the project. We will meet again next Friday to find an amicable solution to this problem.”

Sonyoni added that the process must unfold in a transparent manner.

“Hiring processes on projects must unfold with the knowledge of residents. Residents must be informed about what opportunities are available when there are projects launched and the number as well as the skill-set of local labour that is required.

“There must be fair and transparent practices during such processes. The meeting will afford the municipality the opportunity to discuss the matter with the community and also come up with a solution so that we can continue to provide services to our people that will enhance their lives,” Sonyoni concluded.