A multi-million rand road construction project critical to the Marquard and Clocolan area has been officially terminated by the Free State Department of Roads, leaving the project in limbo and the local community frustrated.
The R274 million project, aimed at upgrading the R708 road between Marquard and Clocolan, was halted due to the appointed contractor’s failure to meet contract conditions. A spokesperson for the Department confirmed the termination was due to “incompetence.”
The 33-kilometre stretch of road, a vital route for farmers transporting goods, has been described as a “nightmare.” The project, which was awarded in December, only saw work begin in July and is now far from completion.
The delay and handling of the project have sparked anger among Marquard residents, who feel systematically excluded from its benefits. A community representative voiced the collective frustration, stating that the project has failed to create local jobs or empower community members.
“This project doesn’t give people jobs. This project doesn’t make an opportunity to our community members,” the representative said. “They are not empowering the local SMMEs. They are only outsourcing machineries from outside Marquard, whereas there are capable subcontractors here… that can provide them with the machineries.”
Residents are demanding that any future contractor ensure local employment and subcontract opportunities for those with the necessary skills within the community.
The community forum alleged that the contractor began work without any consultation, bypassing local structures. “He never even consulted with the forum. Instead, he did everything as he did,” the representative added, noting that the contractor outsourced machinery from outside the area despite local availability.
The provincial government acknowledged the growing discontent. A departmental spokesperson stated that farmers and business forums had lodged numerous complaints, forcing the Department’s hand.
“We had to do that now because the performance of the contractor there was only putting us into trouble,” the spokesperson said. “Communities are starting to organize themselves, farmers, [the] taxi association because the performance… the pace that this contractor is reviewed is very, very slow.”
The spokesperson confirmed the contractor had been given opportunities to correct the issues but failed to do so. “It seems like if we don’t terminate we’ll be heading to a disaster,” they added, referencing problems experienced on another road project, the R79.
The situation escalated recently when farmers, directly impacted by the poor road conditions, staged a protest on the R708, demanding the work be finalized.
The project was originally scheduled for completion within 24 months. It is now unclear when a new contractor will be appointed to resume work on the stalled road.
