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The Citizen
3 days ago
- General
- The Citizen
BRT Line 2C delays spark conflicting claims as contractor denies payment issues
Motorists and residents continue to face frustration as the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Line 2C project on Lynnwood Road lags behind schedule, with delays now stretching the project's deadline to the end of June. This comes after multiple deadline extensions, conflicting statements from Tshwane and the contractor, and growing safety concerns on the road. The project, which began in May 2023, was initially scheduled to be completed by November 19 that year. The deadline has since shifted several times, from March to mid-April and now to the end of June. Previously, Tshwane spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said one of the factors behind the delays has been the contractor's failure to pay workers on site, along with rain delays and changes in scope. However, the contractor for the project, Buhle Shabalala, has denied any issues with wage payments, saying all workers on site have been fully compensated. Shabalala insists the real cause of the holdups lies in waiting for design drawings from the consultants and delays in approvals from the metro. 'It's not true that there were extensions due to non-payment of the workers. All of my workers on site are paid,' Shabalala said. 'The delays were due to heavy rainfall and the time it took to get design approvals from Tshwane. 'There's a large pipeline in one section that required changes to the original design, and that's added time.' He explained that while most sections of Line 2C will be completed by June, one section still awaits approval so that a new pipe installation can proceed. Shabalala also dismissed claims that rubble is being left on site. 'We remove rubble at the end of each workday. The only materials we stockpile are G1 and G5 construction materials.' Responding to growing complaints from motorists about broken barriers and safety hazards, Shabalala said the barriers were damaged during heavy rains two months ago and were replaced when broken. 'We've completed several sections and are currently working on the remaining parts,' he said. DA councillor Dikeledi Selowa confirmed that the latest deadline has been extended to June 23, as reflected in a council report. She said that while the project is back on track, ongoing oversight is crucial. 'The issue is poor project management within the metro. 'These ongoing extensions beyond the initial contract period can potentially lead to extra, unforeseen expenses,' Selowa said. Selowa acknowledged that the contractor has since caught up with wage payments and that progress on the ground is visible. 'We are monitoring the project closely. Once it's completed, we will call for a physical audit verification to ensure that every cent spent from the metro's grant funding delivered value for money.' Selowa also pointed to issues of rubble not being cleared adequately, placing that responsibility on the contractor. The contractor, however, strongly denies neglecting site cleanliness. Mashigo confirmed that the project was 84% complete and gave non-payment of workers, slow progress, rain delays, and changes in project scope as reasons for the delay. The city did not provide an updated comment by the time of publication. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading! Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here
IOL News
30-04-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Tshwane BRT project faces R15 million irregular expenditure amid delays
The City of Tshwane is hopeful that a delayed project to construct a bus rapid transit route, known as Line 2C, in Pretoria East, will be completed this month. Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers A Tshwane council report has revealed that an ongoing bus rapid transit (BRT) project in Pretoria East has incurred a staggering amount of R15 million in irregular expenditure. The DA first raised allegations of irregular expenditure on the project in March, but the city failed to respond to media inquiries about the claims. However, a council report showed that the project's budget was increased by R15 million due to delays, which also led to a request for a time extension to complete the project. The report cited specific delays, including late payment of the June 2023 payment certificate, prompting the contractor to request an extension. Other delays were the relocation of a 700mm bulk water main pipeline, which halted work on a 400m road section, and the construction of a new retaining wall for a median slip lane due to level differences between the east and westbound roads. The report noted that the project faced typical challenges for its scale, including delayed payments to subcontractors and labourers. This, according to the report, caused work to slow down at the start of the month, only gaining momentum after payments were made. The report was compiled after the Section 79 oversight committee for the municipal Department of Roads and Transport inspected the A Re Yeng Line 2B and 2C Lynwood Road Expansion project. The committee was updated on the project's progress and challenges, learning that it was 82% complete with an expected completion date of April 2025. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ The committee was informed that the outstanding work included walkways and a cycle lane, and despite challenges, the project timeline remained on track. Councillor Brendon Govender questioned the project's 82% completion status given the remaining work, and requested a more comprehensive report with detailed information. On the other hand, DA councillor Dikeledi Selowa asked questions about the project's expenditure, public participation outcomes, and the resurfacing of new roads. The project consisted of two work packages, which included upgrading intersections along Lynnwood Road and Atterbury Road, from University Road to Justice Mahomed Road. The work included upgrading the existing Kings Highway Culvert, sewer diversion, and water relocation. The construction involved relocating existing services like waterlines, widening intersections, and adding lanes. In March, the DA demanded a thorough investigation into the delays plaguing the construction of Line 2C, a BRT route in Pretoria East. At the time, Selowa expressed concern that the Line 2C route project had allegedly accumulated R15 million in irregular expenditure. She criticised the city for not fulfilling its promises, especially regarding replanting trees removed during the project. She also said the DA plans to scrutinise the project's financials to assess whether the city got value for money spent on each item. The city had previously approved an extension of time and variation of scope for the Line 2C project, pushing the completion date to April 18, 2025. Municipal spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the project missed the deadline due to persistent rains, 'and there is an extension of time until the end of June, which does not have cost implications'. Regarding the claim that the city incurred R15 million in irregular expenditure, he said: 'There is no irregular cost that has been incurred.' This decision was made due to changes in scope, including relocating a 700mm water pipeline and constructing a new retaining wall to prevent collapses. Mashigo had not yet responded to the DA's allegations that the BRT project had incurred R15 million in irregular expenditure due to delays, nor had he commented on potential consequences for those responsible, or the city's planned consequence management measures. He had also not confirmed whether the contractor met the April 18 deadline.
