Controversy surrounds the multimillion-rand renovations of the Gugulethu Meat Market after the completion of phase one early this month.
The City of Cape Town is accused of doing a sloppy job, and lack of transparency during the project. Work at this multi-purpose popular spot partially started with an electrification project in 2019, with the City spending about R950 000, but work was halted due to the pandemic. The project resumed in May this year.
According to reports, the contractor left the site in August, leaving a few incomplete jobs, but the City said construction and inspection of the work was done on November 10 when the project was declared complete.
Eddie Andrews, Mayco member for spatial planning and environment, said: “The work was done according to specification. These included the replacement of the roof of the main hall, toilets and line shops, the installation of new toilets, electrical upgrade for the main hall, installation of internal stormwater run-off, and painting work.”
Andrews said nearly R3.6 million of the R15m initial budget for the overall work was spent. He said the Urban Regeneration department was then informed by the tender owner that there was a tender increase and there were no additional funds and therefore the scope of work in phase one needed to be reduced.
“Additional funding has been requested in the budget adjustment to complete the remaining doors, fire place rehabilitation and various other items between now and the end of June 2023.
“Additional budget required R1.7m to complete the remainder of the jobs as identified above,” said Andrews.
However, vendors claim that no one explained anything to them and they’re confused by the incomplete work. They said there were no engagements and discussions about the work nor what the entire plan for the overall upgrades were.
Joe Make, 55, has been selling at the marketplace for 16 years.
“Upgrades are welcome, but we don’t appreciate being treated like fools. No one is talking to us, all we see are people working and expecting us to shift and accommodate them any time they’re on site. No one knew how long the construction was going to be. The worst are the electricity costs that increase tremendously since the new meter boxes were installed, no one wants to address that. We are left to fend for ourselves from businesses that have been struggling since Covid-19. Yes, we now have roof over our heads, but we still braai from outside anyway,” he said.
Beverley van Reenen, the City’s Mayco member for energy, said businesses were charged commercial energy tariffs and warned vendors to watch their consumption.
Mpumzi Ngawuzela, who was a community liaison officer, said: “There were no public engagements, but the worst is that I even had no scope of work as the community liaison. There would always be excuses each time we asked to see it. We had questions when the constructor said they were done but the roller doors were not changed nor maintained, the braai area which is the heart of the spot was never fixed. This means vendors must remain working from outside, at risk. We also raised concerns about the colour of paint used; you cannot put bright colours in such a smoke-infiltrated place. The new paint is already staining.”
The interior is painted yellow, green and grey.
“Several meetings were held on 26 April and 20 May 2022 with the Gugulethu Meat Market Committee where the specifications were discussed,” said Andrews.
The spot has about 20 vendors mostly selling meat and other food items, restaurants and a few supermarkets. It’s one of the busiest and most popular braai spots in the townships.
Phase two is expected to commence early next year and be completed by June “subject to the approval of the additional budget and the support of the community”.