The Tshwane Metro’s housing crisis worsened exponentially over the past quarter as no progress was made with construction or infrastructure development in any of the Metro’s 53 housing projects.
A report from the Department of Human Settlements reveals that millions have been allocated to housing and infrastructure, yet no houses have been built, no land acquired, no roads tarred and no infrastructure completed.
Many housing projects are stalled due to legal disputes, absent contractors and disruptions by local forums.
A housing project in Mamelodi’s infrastructure has been completed, but no houses were built in the past three months.
Housing projects in Rama City and Pretorius Park are at a standstill due to contractors’ failure to provide proof of National Building Regulation certification.
The backlog in housing projects is not only a frustration for prospective homeowners, but also a violation of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), which stipulates that funds not spent efficiently are deemed irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure.
The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) proposed the following to remedy the situation:
- Remove underperforming officials. Service delivery should not be seen as an optional task.
- Conduct independent audits of performance indicators on a quarterly basis and make them public.
- Appoint competent contractors capable of successfully completing the projects.
- Provide a comprehensive report on contractor registration and compliance with National Building Regulation certification.
The Freedom Front Plus advocates for accountability and lawful project management. Service delivery to the community is not a privilege; it is a right.
The party will keep fulfilling its oversight duties and monitoring these projects. The party will also insist that new projects are launched to address the housing crisis.
