MBOMBELA – Corruption in Reconstruction and Development programme (RDP) houses will be a thing of the past in this province as the MEC for human settlements, Mr Speedy Mashilo vowed to uproot corruption as he lashed out at beneficiaries who are using the houses as “speed points” to make money. Speaking at the annual Govan Mbeki Awards held last Thursday, he lambasted illegal occupants of RDP houses.
“When the government introduced this project, it was to readdress the imbalances of the past, but what we are experiencing today in our communities is a disgrace. The houses are used as jackpots, where people are making money by selling them. Well I am a man of my words and I am not going to be apologetic to those illegal occupants, they will be evicted,” said Mashilo.
Some of the houses are even being rented to foreign nationals as spaza shops, this is yet another issue that angers Mashilo. “It’s clear that there are beneficiaries who registered at the municipalities for houses, while they are not actually in need of the decent shelter.
On the other hand, there are people who spend sleepless nights during the rainy season in mud houses and slums. “We are determined to provide quality RDP houses, however, we need to ensure that we deliver those houses to the right people. It is for those who are really in need of shelter and not people who want to turn the houses into a business,” he said.
He sent out a stern warning to lazy contractors who are failing to deliver these much-needed services to the community. “I am not here to play, nor am I joking, people must mark my words. I am not going to tolerate any lazy contractors who are failing to build quality houses. Some of them have cracks and are not even handed over to the beneficiaries. Shame on you.“The only thing that you know how to do, is to get the tenders and buy fancy cars while your work is a disgrace. What kind of a contractor are you? Izinto sezizogaya ngalomunye umhlathi ke manje,” he concluded.
This newspaper learned that Shabalala from Nyongane was making headlines for the corruption of RDP houses as it is alleged that some of the houses are occupied by illegal occupants. In Driekoppies, outside of Malalane, some of the houses are also being occupied by foreign nationals .
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