Phezulu Down Touch Construction Company is embroiled in a community driven dispute where villagers around the mines want to leave no stones unturned in as far as employment opportunities are concerned.

The construction company was awarded the tender to repair the pothole-laden R300 Kathu-Hotazel road recently and is on the recruitment drive, however the process is in a quandary.

However, the community from Magobing and surrounding villages feel they are being excluded from the opportunity in favour of Kathu residents. The road construction project starts from Kathu going towards Hotazel and this community feels they deserve to be given first preference.

Councillor Julia Katong from Joe Morolong local municipality is alleged to be telling the expectant community that only the councillor and the council are responsible for employing people over the project – driving this community around the Hotazel area mad.

The dispute is ensuing and involved parties met on November 26, 2018 at the construction site to try and resolve the matter. According to the community representative Mr John Monabe of Magobing village near Hotazel and adjacent to the road in question, people believe employment of people has nothing to do with councillors, unless they want to manipulate the process to give favours to certain individuals. Down Touch officials, the Joe Morolong mayor and the full council attended the meeting.