GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - The N9 to Middleburg was closed for a while on Tuesday morning by a group of protesting local Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises contractors.
The protest was organised to demand attention from Johan Swanepoel, consulting engineer for the Ouberg Pass Project on the Murraysburg road, a major infrastructure initiative by road agency, Sanral.
Sidelined
Speaking on behalf of the contractors, Bruce Kock says the local community have been pleading for a meeting with the main contractor to discuss job opportunities for local workers.
The contractors are concerned that they are being sidelined in favour of outside firms and they want the assurance that local businesses and workers will be given priority for employment and contracts.
Efforts ignored
"The local contractors want to see jobs given to local people," said Kock. "We have tried multiple times to reach out to Johan Swanepoel and Sanral to address these issues, but our efforts have been ignored."
"We had no choice but to take action to make our voices heard."
The road closure briefly disrupted traffic on the N9 until Detective WO Stephen Kruger intervened to mediate the situation. Kruger facilitated a meeting at the detective boardroom, where local contractors were able to voice their concerns directly to officials.
In attendance were Lt Col Ntla-Ntla Mpantza and Captain Rodney Isaacs.
Phone calls were made to Sanral's Regional Manager, Mbulelo Peterson, who assured the group that he would arrange for the project manager to visit Graaff-Reinet by Thursday or early next week to address the contractors' concerns.
Skepticism
Local contractors expressed skepticism and disappointment over the lack of direct communication with the project's stakeholders.
The contractors have previously been directed to various local politicians and managers for assistance, but feel their concerns have not been taken seriously.
Benefits to the region
The Ouberg Pass project is a significant infrastructure development aimed at upgrading the Murraysburg road, and is expected to bring substantial benefits to the region.
However, the protest highlights a broader concern about the allocation of resources and opportunities for local businesses in major government projects. Local contractors are calling for a fairer distribution of jobs and contracts to ensure that the benefits of the project are felt by the community.
Our people need work
"As locals, we should be the ones benefiting from this project," Kock said. "Our people need the work, and we have the skills to do it. We just want a fair chance."
Sanral has yet to comment on the specifics of the protest, but the promise of a meeting with the project manager is expected to provide an opportunity for dialogue between the contractors and the project's leadership in the coming days.
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