Workers shut down Cape Town construction project over unpaid wages

Workers protested outside this project site in Illitha Park, Khayelitsha, since Monday over their unpaid wages. Photo: Vincent Lali / GroundUp

Security guards have been protesting outside a project to build pavements in Illitha Park, Khayelitsha since Monday over their unpaid wages. On Tuesday morning, the guards prevented construction workers from leaving or completing their duties at the site.

The guards demanded that Sibakulu Guarding Division pay their October salaries.

Protester Andiswa Machicila, a guard with Sibakulu, told GroundUp, “We told [the workers] we will allow them in, but we won’t let them out. We have no money to buy food for our families ... I’m hungry.”

The CIty of Cape Town has contracted Triple C Maintenance and Services to build the pavements. Triple C has in turn subcontracted three companies: Sibakulu for security, Gubudela to do some of the construction, and a third company whose name we do not know.

It appears all three subcontractors have either paid their workers late or failed to pay them. Contradictory facts as to why this occurred have been given by the subcontractors we spoke to and the City.

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Moses Ndlovu, Sibakulu’s operational manager, pleaded with the guards to continue working. He promised they would be paid on Wednesday. He said the company could not pay the guards because Triple C had not yet paid Sibakulu. He claimed they had invoiced Triple C on time.

Unable to complete their duties, the construction workers started burning tyres. It transpired that they too had not been paid.

Director of Gubudela Investments, Anathi Nqayi, said Triple C had asked to pay them late on 7 November (instead of end of October). But, Nqayi says, Triple C failed to do so.

But Rob Quintas, mayco member for urban mobility, said the City had investigated the matter found that the non-payment was because the sub-contractors submitted their invoices late. This issue has been resolved, and the project and operations resumed, Quintas said.

“A meeting has been arranged with the main contractor on this project and other relevant parties to ensure this does not happen again.”

This article was originally published on GroundUp.

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