The office of the MMC was on site with the contractors and City Power officials on Tuesday morning (March 23) to ensure a smooth start to the resumption of the project, and engaged the leader of Sisonke Business Forum leadership, which represents local business in the area.
At the core of their disgruntlement was the need for clarity on the payment of the project’s administration work such as HR and a request for an audience with the main contractor.
MMC Moerane has indicated that such queries should not proceed on site but should rather be referred to his office for mediation. He also committed to ensuring that his door is open for further engagements in future.
“We are happy that the work resumed without further disruptions, and the project is alive,” said MMC Moerane.
“We have agreed with all the stakeholders that work on the Eldorado Park substation cannot be delayed any further because of the risks involved in ensuring reliable supply of electricity to the community.”
A total of R15 million has been budgeted for this first phase of the project, which is expected to be completed in June. The second phase will resume in July and is expected to last for a year.
The MMC’s office met stakeholder representatives, whose team included community leaders, organised business representatives, SMMEs, community liaison officers, and the main contractor last week.
Consensus was reached that in the interest of the community of Eldorado Park and its surrounding areas, the old substation infrastructure needed an urgent upgrade and boost to ensure the reliable provision of electricity.
The project is planning to hire 20 Extended Public Works Programme workers from the community, eight local SMMEs alongside the community liaison officer and local labourers, most of whom were on site on Tuesday’s resumption.
It must be noted that the project is not new but a continuation of what started in 2015.
Image (CoJ MMC for Environment and Infrastructure Services- Mpho Moerane).
