DR Bongani Investments’ workers refuse to work
Workers say they have not been paid for two months.
LEBOHANG – DR Bongani Investment are being blamed by the Greater Leandra Contractors Forum for exploiting sub-contractors.
DR Bongani Investment is currently building RDP houses in the Govan Mbeki municipal area.
Lebohang sub-contractors decided to down tools on Wednesday, 4 November and demanded to meet with the directors of DR Bongani Investment.
Mr Isaiah Sithole of Greater Leandra Contractors Forum said DR Bongani Investments is currently paying the sub-contractors far less that what other contractors have been paying.
“We usually negotiate with the contractors before they begin with the work, but DR Bongani Investments gave excuses when we were supposed to meet them.
“They said they would only be available for negotiations after they have finished building the RDP houses in eMbalenhle and Kinross,” said Mr Sithole.
The Greater Leandra Contractors Forum has been trying to negotiate with DR Bongani Investments from 13 February without any success of getting the directors of DR Bongani on board.
The sub-contractors said they also want jobs such as plumbing fix and supply and electric fix and supply, but DR Bongani does not want to employ them for these jobs.
They accuse DR Bongani of giving them jobs such as glass work and roofing.
One woman said her work is to paint the RDP houses inside and outside, as well as the ceilings.
She said she gets paid R600 to paint the whole house and with this money, she has to buy thinners, brushes and rollers, and pay the person who helps her.
Lebohang sub-contractors finally managed to meet with DR Bongani Investments’ director, Ms Deon Mhlongo, Lebohang ward councillors, including the chief whip, Mr Anton Makhaya, and Govan Mbeki Department of Human Settlement.
During the meeting it was alleged that DR Bongani Investment said they will not be able to increase the rates which they pay the sub-contractors because they are bankrupt.
“DR Bongani Investments said their bankruptcy was caused by one of their site managers who was paying skeleton labourers and also created an invoice for hired machines which were not physically hired.
“We do not know if they will have the money to pay us until the project is finished,” said one of the people who attended the meeting.
There are also allegations that workers of DR Bongani Investments have not been paid their salaries for two consecutive months.
DR Bongani Investments did not comment at time of going to press.
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