RDP beneficiaries still waiting to be housed in Tekwane South
Beneficiaries were initially promised to move into the houses on December 15; two months later they still have no proper shelter for their families.
Beneficiaries of the government RDP houses built in the area are not happy about the delay in occupying the houses. They alleged that corrupt politicians are denying them their right to occupy the houses they are entitled to. 
Lowvelder Express learned that some of the beneficiaries had lost their jobs during the heat of the lockdown, while some were badly affected by the recent rain and have no proper for their families. Mthokosizi Nxumalo told this publication that they were initially promised to move into the houses on December 15; two months later they still have no proper shelter for their families.
“Nothing had happened. To make matters worse some of us even transferred our children from schools in KaNyamazane and registered them at Portia Shabangu which is closer to our would- be new homes. With the delay at hand we now spent money that we don’t have for transporting them from KaNyamazane to here just because officials who lives in town decided to delay the process of handing the houses to beneficiaries,” added Samkelo Nkosi , also a beneficiary. Lowvelder Express also learnt that some of the beneficiaries had tried to install burglar proofs to improve security at the houses but were turned away as the houses were not officially handed over to them. Businessman and contractor Ray Mhlabane of Sihle Construction said his company completed more than 150 RDP houses on site. “We had done out part, all the infrastructure including a sewer line which will also service the entire community of Tekwane South is on the ground. We are only delayed by a water pump which is a responsibility of Silulumanzi. Our securities are on site to ensure the secure the premises from any form of theft and vandalism,” he said.
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Mhlabane said he was aware of the plight of beneficiaries and was engaging relevant stakeholders involved to solve the problem. “We are working on this and the people will soon get their houses,” he said. Freddy Ngobe spokesperson for the Department of Human Settlement confirmed that the houses were supposed to be handed to beneficiaries a while ago as the project was expected to be finalised a way back. He said the department and the City of Mbombela Local Municipality were engaging the water supplier- Silulumanzi to finalise all logistics to pump water into the reservoir.
“The department had however completed and connected all water and sewer related needs to the houses. Beneficiaries will get their houses as soon as the water supplier addresses all the water and sewer related challenges,” said Ngobe.
In a media statement the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the province called on the MEC of Human Settlements Department, Nora Mahlangu, to prioritise housing delivery, ownership of housing, and to also stop manipulating housing delivery data in the coming year. “The residents of this province have been waiting for far too long to get a roof over their heads and along with a provincial housing backlog which is around 120 000, this department must speed up the delivery of quality houses to the residents of this province,” reads the statement.
