Housing project in limbo amidst allegations of corruption
MacKenzieville Housing Project in limbo amidst allegations of corruption
Nearly one year after it was said to be complete, the MacKenzieville Housing Project in Extension 2 remains officially on hold and according to the DA in Ekurhuleni, it appears that the MMC for Human Settlements Lesiba Mpya, has little control over his department.
According to DA councillor Wollaston Labuschagne, when MMC Mpya was recently asked to explain why the project remains on hold he admitted that “the original company appointed to do architectural services did not follow the required conditions of township establishment when compiling the house plans for the project.”
Mpya reportedly added that the said architectural company’s services have since been terminated and that a new company has been appointed. Another major concern, Labuschagne said, is that the Building Control Department has not been ‘hands-on’ on the project.
“They probably approved the building plans at the start of the project and failed to intervene until 80% of the houses had been built. This matter will be investigated in order to establish which Building Control officials approved the plans, before construction started,” he said and referred to previous media statements in which the project was said to be complete in 2017.
“This housing project serves as yet another example of poor management by the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE). Furthermore, the Project Manager on this housing project has been implicated in other cases of fraud and poor project management.”
Another issue which recently surfaced is the final beneficiary list for the MacKenzieville Housing Project, which had reportedly been compiled in secrecy. During a meeting that Labuschagne attended in February with councillor Phillip Thamahane (DA Human Settlement Spokesperson), the project manager confirmed that the subsidy application process will be transparent and available.
Labuschagne and Thamahane were also told that the Housing Development Agency will be attending to subsidy applications during March and April and he assured them of regular progress reports. However, Labuschagne claims that no official liaised with him or any of the listed beneficiaries until date.
“Yet MMC Mpya confirmed that the subsidy application process has been completed and a final beneficiary list is currently being compiled by the Gauteng Department of Housing.”
According to Labuschagne, this displays that MMC Mpya, the CoE and the Gauteng Housing Department officials are colluding yet again and manipulating beneficiary lists in order to favour opposition supporters. To stamp out corruption in this vital oversight, the DA in Ekurhuleni has called on the Department of Human Settlement to make the beneficiary list immediately transparent.
“We will hold the ruling party accountable to ensure they deliver on their promises made,” Labuschagne concluded.
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