WATCH: Tempers flare at CBD construction site

Protesters gathered at the site of a new department block development in Kempton Park central business district three times last week, demanding employment.

On Thursday morning last week, stones were seen flying at the site on the corner of Monument Road and Central Avenue and private security personnel, the metro police and police were called to the scene.

The R235-million development, to be named Central Park, will have seven floors once completed. One of these floors will be for retail space, while the others will house 628 apartment units.

On Thursday last week, protesters again gathered at the site to show their dissatisfaction with the number and selection of local residents employed by the contractors.

They broke down two of the gates to the site and damaged parts of the fence. Stones were also thrown at construction workers.

Site manager at Tri-Star Construction, Hendrik Jansen van Vuuren, said he was at the police station when the incident happened. “I had gone to follow up on a case we had opened previously against the protesters,” said Jansen van Vuuren.

“The charges against them are damage to property, illegal entry onto the property and intimidation. I then got a call informing me there was chaos at the site and I had to rush back.

“When I got there I was told they pushed and pulled the gate and parts of the fence until it fell down and started throwing stones at the employees.”

The developer, Werner Franck, said local residents had been employed for the project.

“I am committed to creating employment in Kempton Park and have from before the commencement of the construction, proceeded with a programme to appoint residents in the Kempton Park area,” he said.

“The ward councillors from wards 16 and 17 and the contractor [Tri-Star Construction] have been working with me in setting up the structure to employ members of the local community.

“The first step was to appoint a community liaison officer (CLO). The CLO was appointed in consultation with the ward councillors on May 14 and set about to set up the employment process of labourers from the community.”

One of the employees at the site, who wished to remain anonymous out of fear for victimisation, told Express: “They broke down the gates, entered the premises, intimidated us and chased us.

“We retaliated and charged at them. They ran away which was when they started throwing stones at us. We threw stones back. I think they thought we wouldn’t do anything to retaliate because we did nothing on Tuesday and Wednesday.”

Another employee added: “We are two days behind and have to continue working. We are worried they might come back in a bigger group.”

Yet another employee said: “I live in this community and don’t understand why they are attacking us. We have been working for Tri-Star for some time and more importantly, we are also from this community.”

The protesters feel they should be employed as community members and said the construction company side-lined them and employed illegal foreigners.

Jansen van Vuuren said: “As far as I understand it, the EFF chairperson for ward 16 and a group of people from that ward want to get involved in the project. This is a big issue because this is a project in ward 17.”

“We appointed sub-contractors and have employed people directly to Tri-Star. Seven of the eight people we employed on a limited-duration contract for this project are from ward 17.

“When we do inductions we make sure we don’t employ illegal people and if we employ foreigners, we make sure they have the proper paperwork.”

Ward councillor Simon Lapping said the contract was private and not municipal.

“When it comes to labour from the municipality’s point of view, we normally do it from the wards itself but this company went beyond the call of duty and involved myself to try and get local people involved. They didn’t have to but they did, which I take my hat off to,” Lapping told Express.

“We have to protect property rights and the rights of companies that want to make a solid investment in the CBD, which is sorely needed in order to create long-term sustainability and jobs. This is just total destruction and vandalism and the police need to do their jobs and arrest the perpetrators and make an example of this.”

Although Jansen van Vuuren and Lapping said ward 16 EFF branch chairperson Izek Mampana was the leader during the incident, Mampana said he was not present but only came to the site later.

“We are surprised to see work being done yet we haven’t been involved. This should be a community thing and not a ward thing,” Mampana later told Express.

Franck, however, said: “Through the efforts of the CLO, the development is currently employing people from the greater Kempton Park community. Progress on site is escalating and the demand for employment from the local community is thus increasing on a weekly basis.

“In conjunction with the ward councillors the radius around the building site from which we will take applications has been increased. We are grateful to have had the ongoing support and assistance of the ward councillors in facilitating the processes.

“All CVs for consideration are to be delivered to our CLO based at the Central Park site office.”