Hundreds of angry residents who use Quenera Road in Gonubie are up in arms after they learnt councillor Boy-Boy Kalani will head the multimillion-rand road-tarring project.
They have accused him of nepotism and unfairness when it comes to the recruitment process for projects in the community.
On Monday, Quenera Road Users’ Committee chair Sonwabo Mlungu said the project fell under ward 28 and should therefore be overseen by councillor Frederick Pohl.
Earlier on Monday, the group tried to stage a protest near Gonubie’s Main Road but were dispersed by police.
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Hours later, they were addressed by mayor Princes Faku, who said no complaints about Kalani’s leadership had been lodged with her office, and she would engage both councillors on how they would work on the project.
Mlungu said the road was officially transferred to BCM from the provincial transport department.
An amount of R30m had been allocated for the initial phase of tarring the first 800m.
Resident Aliviwe Ntengento said the community did not want Kalani to be part of the project.
“This is because he has his own people who will benefit.
“We have seen projects in the community and most of us have never benefited. All we want is for him to not be part of it.”
Ntengento said the community had not been happy with his leadership for a long time.
Resident Siphokazi Mdoyi said: “He [Kalani] does not look after us or consider us when we need his intervention on community challenges.
“To this day, since my shack was destroyed by harsh weather, he has denied knowing me when I needed help from BCM disaster management. He did not care about me.”
She said the same people would benefit if Kalani was in charge of the project.
“We do not want the same people who are on other projects to be part of this one. There needs to be fairness. I live off selling food.”
Ward 28 SMMEs chair Masixole Mankayi described Kalani as a man who looked after his own interests.
“Kalani is very selfish and personally interested in the road project. Faku is in favour of Kalani since he supports her running for a second term as mayor.
“We will fight and we do not want him to be involved, even if it means delaying the project.
“I am here fighting for residents who are poor and have never had the privilege of working.”
Mlungu said: “We are not pleased with what Faku gave us.
“She is managing the situation and is still imposing Kalani on us.
“This project is ward-based. The R30m for the first 800m is along ward 28 — from that alone where is Kalani’s concern?
“Residents have expressed their concerns and there was never a rotation on project recruitment.
“Faku is manipulating this whole thing and we are trying to avoid a black-on-black war. There is already division.”
Faku said both communities were linked by the same road.
“Today there is going to be a meeting with leaders to explain the social facilitation process, recruitment and when the project will start,” the mayor said.
She would have a full briefing on Monday afternoon with the technical team to lay out more details.
Kalani was unable to comment by the time of writing.
Daily Dispatch
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