Reconstruction of Nancefield Primary School in Johannesburg began in 2019. Six years and R56 million later, the school is still far from complete. Photo: Kimberly Mutandiro
Parents in Johannesburg's El Dorado Park want an official inquiry into delays in rebuilding Nancefield Primary School. They claim the construction “mafia” is delaying the project and it has been stuck for years.
Nancefield Elementary School, which used hazardous asbestos materials, was one of several schools slated for reconstruction in El Dorado Park. Preventine Webster, who has a child at the school and is a member of the school's project management committee, said students moved to mobile classes in 2018, at a cost of R96 million in 2019. A reconstruction project has begun.
Clear Choice Builders was appointed as the contractor.
Gauteng MEC for Infrastructure Development spokesperson Theo Nkonki said six years later the school was still far from completion, but more than R56 million had already been spent on it.
School Governing Body (SGB) chair Preeren van Reenen said parents closed schools for a day last year and asked the ministry for an explanation for the delays.
Van Reenen said the department subsequently inspected the contractor's work and found that some buildings had been erected incorrectly and would have to be demolished before work could resume.
The project was restarted in August this year, but parents and residents allege that the “construction mafia” has intervened and is colluding with some local councillors.
Ward committee member Petunia Bailey said she had written to the Office of the President, Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure, the Special Investigation Unit and the National Prosecuting Authority, demanding an investigation into the school's construction.
“There are many projects in the community where obstruction by the construction mafia and community business forums has caused further problems and delays. We are committed to ensuring transparency in community projects, including the Nancefield Elementary School project I feel the government should intervene,” she said.
But Charis Pretorius, from the group Colored Lives Matter Too, said there was no construction mafia, just a group of community businesses “forced to fight” for a share of the project. “Most of the contractors working on community projects come from outside and this has caused dissatisfaction among qualified businessmen within the community,” Pretorius said.
District Councilor Juwairiya Kaldin (Pennsylvania) said she was not aware of any interference. She urged those who claim there is a construction mafia to go to the police.
Mr Cardin said the state's infrastructure department had promised to complete the school in 12 months (September 2025).
“This is about kids, not politics, so we're going to make sure we're all accountable to get kids back to school,” she said.
Meanwhile, parents and SGB members say they are tired of waiting for the project to be completed while their children attend classes in mobile classrooms that were originally set up in 2018.
“Mobile classes expose children to extreme weather conditions. When it's hot it's very hot and when it's cold it's very cold. They asked me when school ends and I couldn't answer them.” said Van Reenen.
Mr Webster said he was disappointed by the delay. “As parents, we are hopeful that this project will be completed within the specified deadline of September 2025,” he said.
Nkonki said he was not aware of any interference in the project by the construction mafia or small and medium-sized enterprises. He said the contract was terminated in January 2022 after R56 million was paid as the original contractor faced cash flow problems and was unable to continue. He said R87 million had been allocated to continue the project.
A new team has been appointed to prepare the procurement documents. “This document required approval from the Gauteng Department of Education, which caused delays. However, the tender process has since been completed and a new contractor has been appointed,” Nkonki said. .
This article was first published ground up
