We have on several occasions raised our displeasure very sharply, with the construction company, Willie-Webb Holdings J/V Marang Distributors (Pty) Ltd, with regards to the poor workmanship they delivered to the North West provincial government.
This was in relation to a three-storey building, situated on Ngaka Modiri Molema Road in Mahikeng. The building currently serves as the head office of the provincial department of Public Works Roads and Transport.
We can confirm, without fear of contradiction, that building in question, which the contractor "completed" on 21 August 2008, has visible structural defects, compounded by poor workmanship on the finishes. The contractor began work on the project in September 2004.
Following our engagements and correspondence to Wllie-Webb Holdings J/V Marang Distributors (Pty) Ltd, with the view to persuade the company to fix their poor workmanship, we neither got joy nor a commitment from the company to ever own up to the serious defects on the product.
In July, we wrote to the company giving it two weeks (14 days) to state the reasons why- in view their shoddy work- the department should not proceed with the process, of barring (blacklisting) them, from government contracts for a period of five years.
We have to date not received the reasons requested, instead, Willie-Webb Holdings J/V Marang Distributors (Pty) Ltd, lodged an urgent application at the North West High Court (Mahikeng) this past Thursday, interdicting the department from proceeding with the contemplated blacklisting threat.
We are extremely encouraged by the court’s decision to dismiss the application by Willie-Webb Holdings J/V Marang Distributors (Pty) Ltd as `not urgent’ a matter. To this end, we are also in the process of contracting an independent professional team (architects, engineers and quantity surveyors) to conduct an audit on the existing structure.
We hope to get a report from the said team before end of next month (October) because of the urgency of the matter.
That said, we have resolved to reserve making further comments on the matter pending the outcome of the court case which we are defending.
Enquiries:
Matshube Mfoloe
Public Works, Roads and Transport
Tel: 018 388 1412/1425
Cell: 082 305 4594
E-mail: mmfoloe@nwpg.gov.za
North West-based Construction Company takes government to court instead of providing the department with reasons why it should not be blacklisted for shoddy work
Province
