THE Eastern Cape Human Settlements Department will spend R500-million this financial year to fix shoddy work on low-cost houses built earlier for the poor.
The project, according to the department, forms part of a current national Human Settlements Department project in South Africa.
The money will be used to fix major and minor defects, while some homes built before 1994, mostly two-roomed houses, will be extended.
Many of the post-1994 RDP houses in the Eastern Cape have already developed dangerous cracks, while some were built without proper foundations.
Eastern Cape human settlements spokesman, Lwandile Sicwetsha, said the project sought to restore dignity to the people of the Eastern Cape.
“Beside the shoddy work which was done then, which in many cases was not monitored by the National Home Builders’ Registration Council (NHBRC), the department wants to bring back the dignity of the people who live in these houses.
“About R87000 will be spent on each house and we are expecting 5461 homes to be targeted this financial year,” said Sicwetsha.
Last month, the department advertised for construction companies to bid for the job.
Four years ago, the Daily Dispatch’s Broken Homes investigation revealed how RDP houses had been abandoned by builders, with many falling apart.
The investigation led to a government promise to fix the houses. Then human settlements MEC, Nombulelo Mabandla, who has since died, promised many houses would be renovated.
Last week, current human settlements MEC Helen Sauls-August said she was not proud of the condition of the homes.
“The money could have been used for other projects,” she said,
Of the 5461 houses in line to be fixed, more than 2200 have major defects, and more than 1500 have minor defects.
Those with major defects will get a makeover.
Areas mainly affected are Fort Beaufort, Cradock and Middleburg.
Sicwetsha said construction companies hoping to get the work would be screened.
“The NHBRC is assisting to check on quality inspection.”
Housing companies who failed the people in the past, would not get another crack at the job.
“Those blacklisted companies won’t be afforded a chance and we have blacklisted a number of companies.”
Successful bidders would be closely monitored, said Sicwetsha.
This multi-million rand rectification project has been welcomed by residents whose houses have been falling apart.
The Dispatch last week visited Fort Beaufort and met families who complained of shoddy work.
Lucay Wharhh of Fort Beaufort said his father Johannes Hewitt had complained bitterly about defects but no one was willing to help.
“Almost immediately after my father occupied this house, it started to crack. As you can see it’s not habitable,” said Wharhh.
Wharhh’s neighbour, Nandipha Doyi, said their home was cold and had not been built professionally.
“ I doubt if they were experienced builders. This is shoddy work!”
She said thugs did not need not to break doors or windows to gain access:
“They just remove bricks at the back of these houses and gain entry. That’s how badly these houses were built,” said Doyi.
So far the department has rectified 4300 homes in the last financial year.
“In all this, we are asking beneficiaries to be active participants in their own development,” said Sicwetsha. –– bonganif@dispatch.co.za
R500m to fix shoddy RDP homes
The project, according to the department, forms part of a current national Human Settlements Department project in South Africa.
The money will be used to fix major and minor defects, while some homes built before 1994, mostly two-roomed houses, will be extended.
Many of the post-1994 RDP houses in the Eastern Cape have already developed dangerous cracks, while some were built without proper foundations.
Eastern Cape human settlements spokesman, Lwandile Sicwetsha, said the project sought to restore dignity to the people of the Eastern Cape.
“Beside the shoddy work which was done then, which in many cases was not monitored by the National Home Builders’ Registration Council (NHBRC), the department wants to bring back the dignity of the people who live in these houses.
“About R87000 will be spent on each house and we are expecting 5461 homes to be targeted this financial year,” said Sicwetsha.
Last month, the department advertised for construction companies to bid for the job.
Four years ago, the Daily Dispatch’s Broken Homes investigation revealed how RDP houses had been abandoned by builders, with many falling apart.
The investigation led to a government promise to fix the houses. Then human settlements MEC, Nombulelo Mabandla, who has since died, promised many houses would be renovated.
Last week, current human settlements MEC Helen Sauls-August said she was not proud of the condition of the homes.
“The money could have been used for other projects,” she said,
Of the 5461 houses in line to be fixed, more than 2200 have major defects, and more than 1500 have minor defects.
Those with major defects will get a makeover.
Areas mainly affected are Fort Beaufort, Cradock and Middleburg.
Sicwetsha said construction companies hoping to get the work would be screened.
“The NHBRC is assisting to check on quality inspection.”
Housing companies who failed the people in the past, would not get another crack at the job.
“Those blacklisted companies won’t be afforded a chance and we have blacklisted a number of companies.”
Successful bidders would be closely monitored, said Sicwetsha.
This multi-million rand rectification project has been welcomed by residents whose houses have been falling apart.
The Dispatch last week visited Fort Beaufort and met families who complained of shoddy work.
Lucay Wharhh of Fort Beaufort said his father Johannes Hewitt had complained bitterly about defects but no one was willing to help.
“Almost immediately after my father occupied this house, it started to crack. As you can see it’s not habitable,” said Wharhh.
Wharhh’s neighbour, Nandipha Doyi, said their home was cold and had not been built professionally.
“ I doubt if they were experienced builders. This is shoddy work!”
She said thugs did not need not to break doors or windows to gain access:
“They just remove bricks at the back of these houses and gain entry. That’s how badly these houses were built,” said Doyi.
So far the department has rectified 4300 homes in the last financial year.
“In all this, we are asking beneficiaries to be active participants in their own development,” said Sicwetsha. –– bonganif@dispatch.co.za
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