Eastern Cape human settlements MEC Helen Sauls-August has condemned the vandalism and looting at an RDP housing project in Unit P.
The MEC has called on police to bring the criminals to book after the Daily Dispatch reported on Monday taxpayers would have to pay millions to repair the damaged houses that have been targeted since early last year.
The department said yesterday it could not determine the final cost of the damage as the vandalism was continuing.
The units have not been handed to beneficiaries due to a delay in the verification and relocation processes.
Some of the affected two-bedroom houses, located near Mdantsane, have been standing empty since March. Beneficiaries of the houses are not even aware of the damage.
Criminals have looted the more than 90 houses of windows and frames, doors and frames, guttering and bathroom fittings such as toilet sets and taps. Sauls-August said the criminal acts were a drawback to the good work done by the government for the poor people of the province.
She called on residents with any information that could help bring the criminals to book to work together with the police.
Three construction companies – MMS Construction, Imvusa Trading and Motheo Construction Group – were hired in 2013 to build the 1103 houses.
They were due to complete work by end of October last year, but 327 houses are still under construction.
Buffalo City Metro communications manager Keith Ngesi said more than 90 houses had been vandalised.
Some of the houses would be fixed by the department while BCM was looking at what could be done to deal with the situation.
The houses were estimated to cost about R80000 each to build and newly-finished interiors were marred with graffiti, both drawings and words.
Ngesi said 776 houses had been completed, 560 already occupied while 126 were under the relocation process.
“After the houses were completed, they were handed over to the municipality to assist in informing and relocating the approved beneficiaries.”
Following the damage, the department of human settlement was expected to fork out more money to rectify some of the vandalised houses once the beneficiaries had been located.
By yesterday it was not clear when the rectification process would begin as human settlements spokesman Lwandile Sicwetsha said: “The houses can only be fixed when their beneficiaries have been located by the metro.”
More than R79-million has been spent on the project and a new deadline of March has been set. — mamelag@dispatch.co.za
MEC slams looting of RDP homes
The MEC has called on police to bring the criminals to book after the Daily Dispatch reported on Monday taxpayers would have to pay millions to repair the damaged houses that have been targeted since early last year.
The department said yesterday it could not determine the final cost of the damage as the vandalism was continuing.
The units have not been handed to beneficiaries due to a delay in the verification and relocation processes.
Some of the affected two-bedroom houses, located near Mdantsane, have been standing empty since March. Beneficiaries of the houses are not even aware of the damage.
Criminals have looted the more than 90 houses of windows and frames, doors and frames, guttering and bathroom fittings such as toilet sets and taps. Sauls-August said the criminal acts were a drawback to the good work done by the government for the poor people of the province.
She called on residents with any information that could help bring the criminals to book to work together with the police.
Three construction companies – MMS Construction, Imvusa Trading and Motheo Construction Group – were hired in 2013 to build the 1103 houses.
They were due to complete work by end of October last year, but 327 houses are still under construction.
Buffalo City Metro communications manager Keith Ngesi said more than 90 houses had been vandalised.
Some of the houses would be fixed by the department while BCM was looking at what could be done to deal with the situation.
The houses were estimated to cost about R80000 each to build and newly-finished interiors were marred with graffiti, both drawings and words.
Ngesi said 776 houses had been completed, 560 already occupied while 126 were under the relocation process.
“After the houses were completed, they were handed over to the municipality to assist in informing and relocating the approved beneficiaries.”
Following the damage, the department of human settlement was expected to fork out more money to rectify some of the vandalised houses once the beneficiaries had been located.
By yesterday it was not clear when the rectification process would begin as human settlements spokesman Lwandile Sicwetsha said: “The houses can only be fixed when their beneficiaries have been located by the metro.”
More than R79-million has been spent on the project and a new deadline of March has been set. — mamelag@dispatch.co.za
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