Political parties call for investigation into Limpopo’s ‘R64,000’ shacks

The national department of human settlements, water and sanitation visited Limpopo this week following the row sparked by the handing over of 40 structures to the poor in Tzaneen by Premier Stan Mathabatha last Friday.

The R2.4 million project, which had cost the department R67,000 for each hut, was officially handed over to the beneficiaries of Talana Hostel. But the ceremony was marred by controversy after political parties slated the move, saying the structures were outdated, inhumane and degrading.

The SA Communist Party, the ANC Youth League, the Economic Freedom Fighters and the Democratic Alliance have called for an investigation. Considering this, officials from the national department travelled to Limpopo on Wednesday and undertook to investigate whether there were quality failures in the units.

The department said the Talana housing programme was operated nationally with the primary aim to combat the spread of Covid-19. Addressing officials from the department of cooperative governance and interested parties, the acting director-general of the department, Joseph Leshabane, said his department would embark on the review shortly.

Also read: More outrage over Limpopo’s ‘R64,000’ shacks

He said the review would be done by the department’s agency, the National Home Builders Registration Council, which oversees quality assurance of all human settlements.

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