MKHUHLU- Angry residents of Mkhuhlu outside Hazyview have yesterday protested and blockaded the road with stones and other objects after they accused the management of the newly built Mpumalanga Traffic College of not employing local people.
The irate community members claimed that the authorities failed to keep to their promise which was to employ locals when the college start operating.
Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza, MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison, Pat Ngomane and other provincial government dignitaries visited Mkhuhlu in order to hand over the college a few days ago.
When reached for comment, Community Safety, Security and Liaison spokesperson Joseph Mabuza said: “Somebody is misleading the community members by telling them that we did not employee locals.
All the 16 people we have recently employed at the college are residents of Bushbuckridge Local Municipality.
These people come from areas such as Thulamahashe as well as other areas which are situated within the municipality.
A total of 9 people out of the 16 are residents of Mkhuhlu. In fact we have exceeded the 30% that we have promised to recruit.
For now, we have employed only 16 new employees at the college, the rest will be transferred from other traffic institutions,” said Mabuza.
The college which offers law enforcement courses such as advance driving and firearm handling is expected to accommodate 160 learners for now.
During his visit to the college a few months ago, Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Public Works Chairperson Ben Martins said the newly build college was of a higher standard.
“The facility is of a world standard and we hope and believe that the community members will take a good care of it. The college will cater for the whole of Mpumalanga as it is the first traffic training institution in the province,” said Martins.
