Gauteng says Bombela’s R10bn claim ‘spurious’
2010-03-09 12:15
THE Gautrain Management Agency today dismissed as “spurious” a
claim of more than R10billion by the Bombela consortium for reported delays in
the construction process.
“The Gauteng province has come to the conclusion that the
concessionaire has a spurious claim which the province is convinced will have
very little chance of succeeding,” said Gautrain Management Agency chief
executive officer Jack van der Merwe.
“A decision, taken by the Gautrain Political Committee and
supported by the Gautrain Management Agency Board, is to oppose this spurious
claim.
“Should the concessionaire proceed with this claim, it will be
referred to arbitration for adjudication,” Van der Merwe said in a
statement.
He said the province received a “Delay and Disruption Submission”
from the Bombela Concession Company in August last year.
According to Fin24.com, Bombela submitted the claim of more than
R10?billion, saying that the Gauteng government handed over building sites late
and in a different sequence from what had been agreed upon.
This upset the contractor’s planning and involved additional
expenses.
But Van der Merwe said it was a “common occurrence” on
“mega-infrastructure projects” that the contractors lodge claims against the
client.
Also, Van der Merwe reiterated that the Gauteng province would not
pay extra for the Gautrain being ready between
Sandton and the airport in time
for the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
“The Gauteng province would like to indicate that the proposed
heads of agreement between the parties concerning costs, states that ’this
variation shall be a zero costs variation to province, now and in the
future’.
“Thus it is clear that if this agreement is implemented the Gauteng
province will incur no costs, now and into the future, to have the Gautrain
airport service running for the Fifa 2010 World Cup.”
- SAPA