The construction of a parliamentary village for Mpumalanga legislature members in Mbombela has hit many brick walls that its completion has been delayed for several years.
The construction of MPL's houses started in November 2017, with the initial completion date set for April 2021.
However, its first four years were plagued by community protests over jobs and unrest on several occasions over distribution of funds to the community by the Matsafeni Trust which sold the 50-hectare land to the state for R30m.
The delays were also exacerbated by Covid-19 lockdown and shortages of construction material. The property is meant to accommodate 30 MPLs who are currently housed elsewhere in and around the provincial capital, at the cost of R26,000 per month for each.
However, disputes between White Hazy Construction and its ex-employees have added to the latest delays. The company fired some workers early this year because they had been redundant. The ex-employees have been protesting at the site, demanding their jobs back.
Last month the company was granted a court interdict preventing the fired workers, including their associates such as EFF councillor Thomas Mnisi, from disrupting work.
Mnisi is accused of extorting money from construction companies with threats to close down construction sites if no money is forwarded to him "on behalf of the community".
Provincial public works department spokesperson Gear Dlamini said: “The project was meant to curb spending in terms of renting for the members of the legislature and the executive. If the project is finished we are only going to pay for rates and taxes and no rent and that means we are going to save money.
"The project has had many challenges including where people would come and demand 30% of the value of the project from contractors," Dlamini said.
“Some of the contractors are on site working. One [section] is 90% complete and others are around 60% and 70% and we believe by the end of the year we would have some of the houses finished and handed over.”
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