Community ‘excluded’ in mall construction

Khumeni Wetes

QWAQWA-Community members seeking employment on the construction of Crescent Mall in Phuthaditchaba are complaining of being overlooked in the recruitment of unskilled labourers, and are calling for the intervention of the founder of the All Unemployment Labour Alliance (AULA), Sello Mosoeunyane.

The disenchanted job seekers have voiced their frustration at being turned away for no comprehensible reason, while the contracted company prefers workers it has brought in from outside QwaQwa.

One of them, Tebogo Mofokeng, alleged that his name does not appear among potential recruits, and suspected people have paid bribes o be hired.

“I have been coming here and even registered my name, but it is nowhere to be found. It’s likely the list is being deliberately tampered with. We have asked Ntate Mosoeunyane to intervene.” Another job seeker, Toka Mokoena, said a task team was appointed to liaise with them but that team has never come back to update them on progress.

“We suspect they hiding or colluding to advance an agenda we did not agree upon”.

However, community liaison officer, Molefi Mokoena, said he was not aware of the complaints.

Explaining how recruitment is conducted, Mokoena said local people are not left out but different methods and approaches are used, depending on the skills and labour needed.

“For labourers we use a draw to pick works. We also have specifications for hard labour where we employ males only. We also have a skills category, where people with certain qualifications are employed. The contractors are also allowed to bring a limited number of their own staff.

After meeting with the CLO, Mosoeunyane expressed satisfaction over new arrangement which will accommodate local community .

“I am happy with the manner in which this problem is being addressed. A task team representing the locals has been selected to deal with this matter.

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