Despite extortionist threat MyCiTi project speeds ahead
|Published
Cape Town - The City of Cape Town has fought back against extortionists and are going full steam ahead to complete the multi-billion rand project to extend the MyCiTi service along various suburbs across the Mother City.
The construction site in Khayelitsha where workers are completing the MyCiti Spine Road, buzzed with excitement on Friday as mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and Mayco member for Urban Mobility, Rob Quintas, visited the site to assess the progress made.
Project manager Claude Maddell explained that despite delays, the site along Mew Way, set to house over 200 buses, refuelling stations, administrative offices, a training academy and other facilities, was 65% complete.
Quintas says work on the site was halted mid last year when local subcontractors and others disrupted the site and intimidated workers.
He said the project is now officially on track to be completed by May 2025, and construction was initially delayed by several weeks due to extortion attempts, but this lost time has been made up by the contractor working extended hours and on weekends.
Hill-Lewis thanked the workers for their dedication in seeing the project to completion.
“I was happy to see good progress in the construction of new MyCiTi depots at Spine Road and Mew Way, which will be at the heart of operations for this big extension of the MyCiTi bus system.
“The City is working at pace to expand the MyCiTi bus service to the metro-south east, specifically to Philippi, Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha.
“Once complete, hundreds of thousands of commuters will have access to safe, reliable, direct public transport along one of the busiest transport routes in the city. This project is part of the full 73% of the City’s infrastructure budget directly benefiting lower income households in 2023/24.’’
The 15-hectare City-owned site is near the planned new routes to save costs and accommodate more bus trips very early in the morning.
Construction began in August 2022 and is set to be complete by May 2025.
Quintas says the depot will house 290 buses initially, and many more as MyCiTi expands across the city.
“The facilities will serve as a base for the MyCiTi service, including administrative offices, boardrooms, training space, facilities for staff and drivers, and security-controlled access on both roads.
“The project is co-funded by a Dutch government grant and will create temporary jobs, local business opportunities, and permanent jobs once services start. Good news for road users is there is no major impact expected on traffic in the vicinity of works.’’
In February, contractors completed the installation of foundation and underground bulk civil engineering services, including electricity, water, plumbing and sewerage services for both depots, as well as external building work, roof sheeting and internal finishes for the east depot.
The site was also thrust into the limelight by City manager, Lungelo Mbandazayo, last year when he said it was one of many affected by extortion attempts.
The City subsequently launched an investigation into various contractors and blacklisted various companies which were owned or run by Nicole Johnson, who is the wife of alleged 28s gang boss, Ralph Stanfield.
Quintas says the City has also been hard hit by the attempted extortion at another site along AZ Berman Drive in Mitchell’s Plain and have subsequently applied for a High Court interdict against those responsible.
wknews@inl.co.za