![\"\"](\"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/NewClinicMpumalanga_large.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nIn correspondence viewed by GroundUp<\/a>, Optimum asked Re-Action to supply documents before paying, including \u201csite meeting schedules, signed payment certificates and minutes of site meetings\u201d. In a letter, Optimum\u2019s lawyer states: \u201cYou will be aware of the fact that a new acting Chief Executive Officer has been appointed for Oakbay Investments and it is in light hereof that strict compliance is required on all projects.\u201d<\/p>\n In response, Re-Action\u2019s lawyers wrote: \u201cIn light of the information provided to you, which included photographs of the site, the only explanation for your client\u2019s failure to effect payment to our client is because it is unable to effect payment, and the request for yet further documents is simply a ruse to delay effecting payment.\u201d<\/p>\n In the meanwhile, the clinic is almost ready to be opened and handed over to the Department of Health. Re-Action\u2019s director, Sharon White, told GroundUp that officials from the Department of Mineral Resources had visited the clinic and told her that they found the construction to be in order and that they could not find any fault in the construction. The clinic \u201callows for a community to have access to services like maternity, emergency, primary health care within walking or a short drive distance \u2026 We have continued to complete the construction of this clinic for the Department of Health and the community of Kwazamokuhle under great difficulty and strain to us,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n Optimum referred GroundUp to Oakbay for comment. Asked if the company was having cash flow problems, a spokesperson responded: \u201cSince Oakbay Investments acquired the Optimum Coal Mine in April 2016 our programme to turnaround the mine has seen it discharged from business rescue. We have not made any retrenchments and are expanding operations at Optimum.\u201d<\/p>\n As to why Optimum has not paid Re-Action: \u201cWhen the project has been successfully completed, Re-Action Consulting will be paid like any other contractor. However work has not been completed yet. We do not anticipate any problems operationally or financially with Re-Action Consulting\u2019s contract to construct the clinic.\u201d<\/p>\n But this position is in violation of Optimum\u2019s contract with Re-Action which explicitly states that the completion date for the project is 31 March 2017 and that the final payment to Re-Action was due in August 2016.<\/p>\n The Department of Mineral Resources failed to respond to GroundUp\u2019s questions by the time of publication. One of those questions was whether Optimum risked losing its mining rights if it failed to pay for the clinic.<\/p>\n This article was originally published by GroundUp, and can be found here<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n
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