Mismanagement of Sebokeng sewage, Golden Gardens housing schemes exposed

A recent oversight inspection by the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Gauteng delegation revealed that the Sedibeng Regional Sewer Scheme (SRSS) in Sebokeng, which is expected to bring relief to residents by stopping the flow of raw sewage spillage, is nowhere near completion, this is after an eight-year delay, reports Sedibeng Ster.

The project has thus far cost the country billions.

Dennis Ryder, NCOP and Democratic Alliance (DA) member, said that what the delegation saw and heard was a horror story of years of financial mismanagement and inattention to service delivery by the Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM), Sedibeng District Municipality (SDM) and the department of water and sanitation (DWS).

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The SRSS, which was first designed in 2002 and became a National Priority Project of the Presidency in 2011, has yielded zero results as raw sewage still flows through the streets of Sebokeng and into residents’ houses.

Ryder said that Deputy President David Mabuza’s recent pledge of R1.1 billion to prevent further spillage of sewage into the Vaal River did not even begin to solve the problem.

“In fact, NCOP members were told during the inspection that a further R6 billion would be needed to rectify the problem.

“The deployment of soldiers to assist has also done little to stem the flow of raw sewage into the Vaal River.”

Meanwhile, the DA has called on the minister of human settlements, Lindiwe Sisulu, to urgently investigate the Golden Gardens (GG) Housing Development in Sebokeng.

The party said that thousands of residents who had to be moved to the Golden Gardens Housing Development from the Kwa-Masiza Hostel are still waiting for their homes.

It further said that the multimillion-rand development, including the construction of 666 social housing homes and 666 backyard units, is riddled with corruption, marred by shoddy work and a series of delays.
The DA said that this was revealed during an oversight inspection by the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Gauteng delegation recently.

“The delegation further heard that the municipality had promoted a corrupt culture in which houses appear to have been irregularly allocated to people who are not entitled beneficiaries.”

Other allegations included an ANC ward councillor leasing out five houses for his own personal gain and beneficiaries being given two houses, based on political affiliation.

“Houses must be allocated to those who are in need and were initially earmarked for them.

The minister must immediately institute an investigation and the consequences of wrongdoing must follow where necessary, the DA said.

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