Locals intimidate and threaten construction workers on R23 at Standerton

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04-07-2023
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Ridge Times
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According to him, five locals approached them on June 24, threatening to kill them if the work continued.

A Sanral project at Sonskyn Handel on the R23 hangs in the balance.

George Bosman, the CEO of Torra B Electrical, spoke to the Standerton Advertiser on June 27, supplying videos and photos of intimidation and extortion by a group of people from Standerton.

This government project of installing street lights came to a standstill on June 24. The company has nine workers that include an engineer, electrician, semi-skilled electrician and semi-skilled workers.

According to Bosman, the group from Standerton initially comprised four men and two women, with the women driving an Eskom vehicle with registration number JGD 874 MP. They demanded R28 000 for the project to continue.

“The group switched off our generator and took our tools,” the CEO said.

His workers are now sitting at home and have to be paid.

“I am losing R18 000 daily,” Bosman added.

He said he offered the group jobs on the site, which they refused. Bosman said he intended to open a case at the Standerton Police Station.

“I am not going to leave it here. This is going to end in a bloodbath,” he also said.

Jannie Kasselman, in the meantime, deployed two guards at the site.

The CEO supplied the name of one individual allegedly involved and the first name of another, also allegedly involved.

Bosman also contacted Wilma Venter, Freedom Front Plus councillor in Ward 10, providing further details of what had transpired.

Bosman got a contract from Raubex Construction to install the 12.5m streetlights on the R23 towards Greylingstad.

Work began about two weeks ago, with no interference from anybody.

Construction workers are prevented from installing street lights on the R23.

“This is a government contract, and according to a construction regulation, no interference from anybody was allowed.”

They stopped working that day and hoped to continue by the following Monday.

He received a call from Raubex to attend a meeting. According to him, when he arrived at the Raubex site about 22km outside Standerton on the R23, five unknown men and two women approached him.

Before he could introduce himself, one man asked whether he had the money for them.

“I told him I will not pay him one cent.”

When they later arrived at the site, the same men approached them, switching off their generator and unplugging their picker.

They threatened them and their construction workers, which resulted in a fight. He called the security company from Raubex, which arrived only about 20 minutes later, giving no assistance.

“They could not control these people.”

The group made a third approach, and they hired Kasselman Security Services for their safety.

The vehicle in which the women travelled to the site.

Kasselman Security Services told the workers to leave the area for their own safety. The group damaged their vehicle as well.

Bosman received a call from Raubex last Wednesday to return all the material to the Lekwa stores and stop working.

“No work will continue and we will open a case of intimidation, loss of income and standing time.”

The CEO opened a case at Standerton SAPS on June 29.