Page 36 - KBHA Bulletin 10

33

the anger of Mr. Bakker who expressed his strongest disapproval, especially as he had
successfully worked for the Council on electrical sub-station contracts. The Council replied

that on checking Mr Bakker’s schedule of prices they found various discrepancies which, in
fact, meant that Reid & Knuckey were lowest. This hardly appeased Mr. Bakker who

vowed never to be bothered with Council tendering again. The British Electrical Co. was

awarded the Electrical Contract, which was included in the tender price.

On 14 November 1941 the contract for the demolition of cottages 0 – X (ten in number)
was awarded to S. Beck. The City Engineer’s Department handled the construction of the

roads departmentally and the Reinforced Steel Co. Ltd. did the retaining walls under
separate contract.

The builders struck an immediate problem with boulders during excavations. This problem
would last for the entire contract whenever excavations were done. Council also had

problems with the quality of the asbestos sheets and drew up a five-year guarantee contract

with the suppliers, the Asbestocement Manufacturing Company of Johannesburg.

Hand over of the first eight flats started on 16 July 1941 with the balance of twelve
following on 8 August 1941. Thereafter a 6-month maintenance-free period commenced.

(Fig. 1.16).

There was a small problem with the increased costs, due to the war, of the electrical disc-

boards and switch-cables. Council met these increased costs which were paid direct to
suppliers United African Electric.

Contract One seemed, however, to be relatively trouble free, but the omission of a storage

area for the fishermen’s gear and nets, as well as suitable clothes drying area, was noted, as
was the urgent need for a playground for the children. These would be rectified during

Contract Two.