Eastern Cape government blames weather, locating beneficiaries for delayed housing project

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16-09-2024
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News 24
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• Displaced Komga residents were promised RDP houses more than 11 years ago. 
• The Eastern Cape government has only completed toilets for the project. 
• One resident claimed some of the toilets have been vandalised over the years.

Displaced Komga residents were promised more than 1 000 RDP houses by the Eastern Cape government more than 11 years ago.

The only fulfilled promise is the construction of more than 1 140 standalone toilets and about 100 RDP houses.

Some of the beneficiaries have died while waiting for the houses.

Previously, farm dwellers in the area were promised about 1 140 housing units in what was known as the Komga Zone 10 housing project. The toilets were constructed on an open field near Siviwe in Komga.  

The housing units were to be constructed in two phases with an estimated completion date of about five years.

To date, not even phase one has been completed. Only about 100 houses have been constructed in the first phase.

Last year, the Eastern Cape human settlements department said the first phase was earmarked to be completed in August 2023. 

This has not happened. 

Sivuyile Geza, 44, is one of the beneficiaries.

He lives in someone's house in Siviwe.

"During the build-up to elections [on 29 May], the politicians were too embarrassed to talk about that housing project. Not even one of them uttered a word.

"The last promise I can recall was during the 2019 general elections, where politicians from the ANC promised that phase one was to be completed sooner after the elections.

"One can only guess that maybe the houses will be built during the 2029 general elections. It's so strange that construction of toilets had long been completed with some of them vandalised over the years," said Geza.

Nocawe Cenge added she had been waiting for her house for years.

"No one has ever explained the reasons for the delays or why we are not getting the houses as promised. It's been promises after promises for all these years," said the mother of one.

Cenge added she was living with family members in Siviwe and in need of a place of her own.

The DA said it had written to Eastern Cape Human Settlements MEC Siphokazi Lusithi for answers.

"Answers are urgently needed regarding the costs, the reasons for construction delays, and a realistic completion date.

"The community of Komga deserves transparency and accountability on the progress of this project, including a thorough report on beneficiary verification after 13 years of waiting.

"The rising demand for low-cost housing in the Eastern Cape only exacerbates the impact of these delays, denying Komga residents the security of tenure they desperately need," said Chantel King, the DA's Eastern Cape spokesperson for human settlements. 

Lusithi's spokesperson, Siyabonga Mdodi, added:

The project has experienced unfortunate delays caused by a number of issues, including weather conditions as the site is classified as a wetland and therefore difficult to access and work on after it rains.

Mdodi said some beneficiaries were difficult to locate.

"There has been delays on the turning up of beneficiaries as it is a restitution project, some beneficiaries are working on farms and not available during weekdays for registration and approval.

"There has been delays on the side of the appointed contractor. The contractor has now increased its capacity by bringing two subcontractors who have already started work. The project period has been extended to end March 2025 for completion of outstanding works."