A contract to upgrade William Nicol Drive, which is more than a year overdue for completion, has been terminated.
Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Ismail Vadi, has announced the termination of a Lubbe Construction road contract for the K46 William Nicol project.
He adds that disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against several Departmental officials for their alleged failure to manage the project properly.
Lubbe Construction was contracted by the Provincial Department to construct the stalled K46 (William Nicol Drive) along Diepsloot to the N14 Freeway.
Speaking at the Portfolio Committee on Roads and Transport in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, Vadi says the department has also initiated the process of blacklisting the contractor.
“The department regards non-delivery of contract requirements by contractors as a serious matter. As such, support from law-enforcement agencies has been enlisted to consider instituting legal proceedings against interested parties to recover funds,” Vadi says.
The contract, signed in November 2015, stipulated that the project was to have been completed in September 2017. Vadi says the contract was extended on two further occasions, but has not been completed within stipulated timeframes, nor has the company maintained a valid performance guarantee for the project since November 2017.
He adds that the department will embark on a new, open tender procurement process to complete the project.
“The delays in completing the project have caused untold inconvenience and disruption to motorists, residents and the business community in the area. The department will work on short-term interventions to improve the quality of the existing road,” Vadi says.