A group of six subcontractors hired to construct a school laboratory in Ga-Makgoba village, near Lebowakgomo, are demanding payment after months of alleged delays by the main contractor Bonitech.
The subcontractors claim they have completed 98% of the work—including paving, tiling, and ceiling installations—but have not been paid since January. They accuse Bonitech owner Ted Cromine of repeatedly postponing payment dates and now threatening them with contract termination and legal action when they demand their dues.
According to the workers, a written agreement stipulated payment within a set period, but verbal promises have led to continuous delays. “We submitted invoices on March 21, and he assured us payment by April 4. Then it was moved to May, then the 15th of April—but nothing,” said one subcontractor.
The financial strain has left them struggling, with some fearing bankruptcy. Despite their near-completion of the project, Bonitech has allegedly breached multiple agreements, leaving them unpaid.
When approached for comment, the main contractor on-site refused to respond. Samco, the mining company overseeing the project, confirmed Bonitech’s contract but declined to address the subcontractors’ grievances.
The subcontractors now seek urgent intervention to resolve the payment dispute before the project’s final phase.
