Mangaung spokesperson, Qondile Khedama, reveals the metro has gone to the extent of interdicting protestors from further disrupting the lives of other residents in the Free State capital via unrest. 

On Monday 29 March, construction workers readying Mangaung’s roads for the Integrated Public Transport Network (IPTN) barricaded Fort Hare Road in Batho Location with rocks, burning tyres, refuse material and bricks from the newly built sidewalks over unpaid salaries.

The unhappy employees alleged the prominent Free State construction company they work for has not paid salaries in full due to construction being halted by the local business forum over the awarding of tenders by Mangaung. Khedama says in addition to the interdict, law enforcement officials are seeking those responsible for the disruption.

The management of the only metro under administration in the country says it is willing to listen to the concerns and plight of workers. “As the city, we would want to reiterate that there is nothing wrong with peaceful protests because they are part of a democratic process and they enhance and strengthen our democracy. However, civil disobedience as observed recently is a contravention of the law, if not criminal. Mangaung Metro wishes to apologise to residents who were inconvenienced by the protests,” concludes Khedama.

It was previously alleged that sidelined local business owners vow to disrupt the IPTN project until they get their slice of the multi-million rand pie. They say they are overlooked in favour of businesses from Mpumalanga and Gauteng in the tender process. 

This is yet to be confirmed by Mangaung.

OFM News