Construction companies awarded government tenders yet continue to deliver shoddy work to the people will be blacklisted and screws tightened on the culprits to ensure they never get a contract anywhere in the country.
This was a warning by North West Premier, Thandi Modise today (Thursday) in her address during the sod turning ceremony in Mmabatho to mark the start of rehabilitation works on three of the four pothole infested roads in the township.
"We are sick and tired of contractors who cheat us we are going to blacklist you and I will make sure that you (contractors) do not get any contract anywhere in the country,’’ she cautioned.
Modise’s stern warning followed hard on the heels of that of her MEC for Public Works, Roads and Transport, Mahlakeng Mahlakeng who cautioned contractors in his address earlier, "It will do you a lot of harm, to cut corners, using substandard and cheap material, which will only last for a few weeks.
"Ensure that when you deliver these projects, you can also look back and let others to judge you and your company, by the quality of work you can deliver to the people of this province."
His department pledged R33 million to rehabilitate four road projects in Mafikeng as a contribution to a call by Modise to all provincial departments and the private sector to assist in giving the Mafikeng a face lift.
In a clear reference to contractors who may have defrauded government, Modise said, "If you work with us, work with us openly because if you don’t we are going to follow you and follow every cent you took from us."
Turning to her efforts to revitalise Mafikeng, Modise said her province was "the least developed" in the country compounded by "the mentality" of its people to keep up with (political) change.
"Begin to take pride in your identity. This town (Mafikeng) must look like other towns in the country, she said urging the local municipality to even consider a moratorium on the development of squatter camps in the area.
"We need that land so that we can bring developments to the capital city of our province. We need to go back to the history of this town," she said.
Modise said following talks with the mining company Xstrata yesterday (Wednesday), it was agreed that the province would be allowed to "borrow" mine engineers when required, in order to assist in the infrastructure projects "especially roads".
She said the mine college would also open its doors for skills development of learners from the province.
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