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Bongani Ndlovu, Chronicle Reporter
BULAWAYO residents and vendors are not holding their breath over the Egodini Mall Project, saying the contractor has made empty promises for far too long.
The Egodini Mall contractor, South African civil engineering firm Terracotta Trading (Private) Limited (TTPL), has admitted that they are way behind schedule and on the ground, the company is still laying sewerage, water and drainage systems.
Last week, during a media tour of Egodini, Terracotta director Mr Thulani Moyo said in April they will open a taxi rank and vending bays while they finish off the project.
During the media tour, Mr Moyo gave a one-hour explanation of the stages leading to a complete Egodini Mall.
Presently, the construction is at phase one A, where the company is doing civil works, laying pipes for sewerage, water, and drainage systems.
On the ground there are construction workers, laying, water pipes and storm drains around the site and they are expected to complete the work by February 11, the very day Mr Moyo said they will start top structure building work.
This work will see taxi roads, taxi rank islands and taxi rank steel works being constructed. Mr Moyo said by mid-April this year, a bus and taxi rank will be handed over to the BCC.
In April 2016, vendors and traders were ordered out of Egodini, to pave way for the construction of the multimillion-dollar mall.
Since then, this has caused congestion in the city centre and towards the Egodini area. It is difficult to navigate the area, as one will have to tip-toe over vendors’ products, which range from clothes, vegetables, to electric gadgets.
Mr Michael Ndiweni, director of Bulawayo Vendors and Traders’ Association, said even with the new timeline, set by Terracotta, traders have lost confidence in the project.
“There is chaos in the city and people are still playing hide-and-seek with the municipal police and the ZRP every day. The fact that they have delayed opening at Egodini means there are many people squatting because they moved from the bus terminus some five years ago.
“I think they are taking us for granted. I don’t think its possible to open the other part there for taxis with what I have seen at the site. I don’t believe that they will finish the first phase by the time that they have set for themselves. I’m one person who will congratulate them and I’ll be surprised if they do so. We don’t believe it,” said Mr Ndiweni.
He said their position as an organisation is if Terracotta fails to complete the project, the powers that be must reverse the tender and give it to someone to do the job.
Bulawayo Progressive Residents’ Association chairman Mr Ambrose Sibindi said the blame for delays lies squarely on Bulawayo City Council.
“We once had a discussion on radio where we had Moyo from Terracotta promising that by the end of last year, they would have completed the project. It comes as a surprise that now they are saying by April they would have opened the taxi rank and vending bays.
“I blame Council who are in contract with Terracotta. What is the contract saying? Is the person meeting the deadline of the contract or they are violating the contract? If they are violating the contract, I think there should be a clause to tell what happens to someone who violates the contract. If council fails to make them accountable, it means they have a huge problem, showing that they can’t manage such huge projects,” said Mr Sibindi. He said many of the residents have lost business.
“There were many people who would get income from that place and pay rent, school fees and also buy food. But now because of this, residents who depended on this terminus moved into the city centre and there is so much congestion.
“We hope this April date they will meet it. The council must make it clear that if they fail, what will they do. We can’t be this lenient on the contractor. If they don’t have money or capacity the tender should be cancelled and another contractor is given the project,” said Mr Sibindi.
The congestion in the city centre is unbearable especially at peak hours when buses and emergency taxis are crowding the bays at places along Herbert Chitepo between 10th and 11th Avenue, popularly known as KoHyper.
“The buses, emergency taxis and also the pirate taxis are congesting the city centre. They don’t have a proper place to rank. If the contractor had done their job a long time ago, all those vehicles would have gone back to Egodini. It’s very difficult to drive in the city centre,” said Mr Sibindi.
Mr Winos Dube of Bulawayo United Residents’ Association was in agreement with Mr Sibindi, adding the project had dragged on for too long.
“We are waiting to see that this April date will be met. We wanted to hear that these people have created employment for the residents that can provide income for them. It has dragged for too long without anything meaningful that has happened,” said Mr Dube.
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