Builders feel cheated by metro requirement

Vinesh Kessopersadh received the shock of his life when he was told he would have to submit a dolomite stability certificate after submitting his building plans.

“When you hand in your plans there’s a checklist that you go through and nowhere does it say that you have to submit this certificate. It’s only after your submission that you are told about it.

“They have to drill on your proposed site to check for dolomite in the area with a minimum of three holes and each hole costs R80 000.

“Then you also have to pay R5 000 for a private contractor to do the study for you because the metro do not do it themselves.

“So, before you’ve started building, you’ve already spent R245 000,” says Kessopersadh.

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The resident says he doesn’t understand why the metro would want this certificate as he is planning on building in a heavily populated area in which there are houses all around his plot.

On top of the R245 000, he also has to pay R11 000 for a water connection fee should his plan be approved.

Should his plans not be approved, there is no refund for any of the fees he has paid.

“I feel cheated.

“You can’t tell me the metro doesn’t have the data that tells them exactly where the dolomite in this area is.

“It feels like we are paying for the environmental studies the metro can’t afford,” says Kessopersadh.

Kessopersadh went on to say that metro officials themselves cannot tell him when this certificate requirement was signed into law.

The metro failed to respond in time for publication.