Construction work on the Leeuwpoort project has resumed after it was halted by members of Military Veterans and a group called Amalgamated Business Forum.
Launched early last year, the mega housing development was stalled for weeks. These two groups reportedly stormed the construction site and threatened workers.
According to the metro spokesperson, Themba Gadebe, following the disruptions at the site, the municipality applied for an urgent court interdict against those involved.
The metro subsequently obtained an interim court interdict against protesting members of the forum at the construction site in a bid to prevent delays of the project.
The interdict was issued by the South Gauteng High Court on November 12. In terms of the interdict, members of the forum may not protest within 100m of the perimeters of any of the project sites.
The protesters may still gather or demonstrate, but this cannot be done within the aforementioned distance from the project sites.
Gadebe confirmed that the disruption ended for now and work has begun again in earnest. He said the forum is demanding control over the project’s 30 per cent local empowerment spend.
The Amalgamated Business Forum also confirmed the demand, saying: “When contractors are awarded a tender, by law that 30 per cent must go back to the community but they are failing to do so.
“The contractors working on the project refused to give back the 30 per cent towards the empowerment of communities,” said Amalgamated Business Forum’s Xolisa Sicwebu.
Sicwebu highlighted in the Advertiser’s previous report that in efforts to try and get that 30 per cent, members of the forum halted contractors working on the project.
Local community leaders expressed their concerns about the abrupt stoppage of the project and the ramifications of the delays of construction work on a project of this magnitude.
The Leeuwpoort project consists of three integrated residential development areas – in the North (Parkdene Extension Seven and Reiger Park Ext 19) and the South, close to Sunward Park. It’s made up of subsidised, social, Flisp, bonded and commercial housing opportunities.
Gadebe said in order to engage with business stakeholders, the City of Ekurhuleni through the Department of Economic Development launched the Ekurhuleni Business Council (EBC), which is the representative of all business forums within the metro.
“Business forums have been urged to form part of EBC in order to engage with the city in a more organised manner.”
It remains unclear if the forum intends to press on with its demand. Sicwebu could not be reached for comment on their action plan on November 27 as his phone rang unanswered.
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