The residents of the Royal Crest Estate in Albersdal have raised concerns about the developer, Kiron Pty Ltd, over:

• installing a bulk water meter;

• escalating water charges;

• a lack of municipal statements;

• alleged construction defects; and

• what they described as intimidation after they halted construction inside the estate.

Many residents bought their homes last year, with most moving in last July and some last October.

Residents said they hold full title deeds, yet a bulk water meter was installed. They claimed it was inappropriate for freehold properties, and that water charges had increased monthly, with no breakdown or municipal statements to confirm that rates and services payments were made to the municipality.

“We don’t receive municipal statements showing that our rates are paid. This makes us question whether the money we pay goes to the municipality or somewhere else,” said a member of the estate’s committee.

Construction halted after months of unanswered complaints

On January 28, residents stopped construction where Kiron was building more houses, taking this decision after months of raising concerns with Kiron but not receiving feedback or a resolution.

After the stoppage, residents alleged that Kiron sent VIP security to the estate to threaten them. When the Alberton Record arrived, there were several security vehicles outside the estate.

Residents said they felt frustrated and were treated as if they had done something criminal, yet they were only trying to be heard.

Kiron’s lawyers later issued a letter on January 28, instructing residents to stop obstructing construction work and warning that legal action would be taken against those who continued to do so.

Allegations of poor workmanship and missing reports

Residents also raised concerns about the quality of construction.

“Most of us bought our houses early last year. We discovered poor workmanship, with about 96 houses experiencing roof leaks and structural cracks,” said a member of the estate’s committee, who asked to remain anonymous.

Residents said they requested structural and engineering reports from Kiron, but received none.

“All they do is repair the cracks and roofs when we report them, but the problems keep worsening,” the resident added.

Disputed bulk meter and alleged overbilling

A serious point of contention remained the bulk water meter installed in the estate.

“When we did a deed search, it confirmed we were freehold stand owners, yet a bulk meter was installed. We told Kiron we did not want it because we believed we were being overbilled,” explained the committee member.

One household was billed close to R4 000 for rates, with the developer later claiming the meter was faulty. Residents claimed that overbilling occurred from January to December 2025.

When residents asked that the bulk meter be removed, Kiron provided documents giving permission to proceed with removal through the municipality. However, residents said the municipality later advised that the process was incorrect.

Municipality feedback raises further concerns

According to residents, the CoE informed them that the meter was registered to a business entity.

“We were told the bulk meter was registered under Kiron Pty Ltd Projects, even though this was Royal Crest Estate with freehold stands. The municipality told us that homeowners had to sign off for the removal of the bulk meter,” said committee member Vusi Nyathi.

“When we reverted to Kiron with this feedback, it ignored our emails for two weeks,” Nyathi said.

Residents further alleged that 64 houses were registered with the municipality in 2024 before construction was completed, resulting in outstanding balances from that year.

“Owners only signed for their houses in 2025, yet there were balances owing for 2024. We were told it was a council issue. The outstanding balance on the bulk meter might have been close to R500 000,” said the residents.

HOA meeting highlights confusion

On January 29, the Homeowners’ Association met with residents to discuss the bulk meter. HOA member Trevor Coleman was asked what steps had been taken since residents first raised concerns.

“I asked the council if they had a way to remove the meter and accept individual meters installed by the developer. The response was that they could not do so,” Coleman said.

This caused confusion, as residents said municipal officials had previously confirmed that removing the meter was possible, costing about R9 000 for recollection fees.

“If Kiron agreed to remove the bulk meter, they would need to sign over all individual meters. I didn’t understand why this was such a big issue,” Coleman said.

He apologised for the miscommunication and committed to improved engagement going forward.

“I will set up a meeting with the attorney representing Kiron. The committee will also be present so that we can discuss this matter properly,” he added.

Municipality meeting anticipated

After the HOA meeting, HOA and committee representatives visited the municipal offices in Swartkoppies, Alberton.

“They advised that the developer and the HOA should set up an appointment with the Kempton Park municipality heads of departments for the departments dealing with bulk systems. We anticipate this meeting might take place next week,” Nyathi said.

Residents issue collective petition

Residents have since submitted a collective petition to Kiron Properties, dated January 28, demanding the removal of the bulk meter and conversion to individual CoE water accounts.

The petition stated residents would continue blocking construction until a formal agreement was reached, calling for:

• the immediate removal of the bulk meter;

• conversion to individual municipal water meters;

• a technical audit and cost breakdown for the conversion process.

The petition argued that individual meters were necessary to ensure fair billing, individual accountability and protection of property values for full title homeowners.

Email trail from Kiron

Kiron provided a detailed email trail on February 5, documenting its responses and steps taken regarding the bulk water meter, HOA structure, municipal rates and structural concerns.

Key correspondence:

• October 29, 2025: Kiron confirmed calibrating water meters and ongoing consumption field testing. Municipal repairs were noted as temporarily affecting the water supply.

• October 26 to 29, 2025: Updated water readings and meter calibrations were communicated;

• November 26, 2025: Residents requested formal consent to remove the bulk water meter, deregistration of the HOA as a private company, access for contractors to address defects, estate pamphlets and a communication liaison;

• December 1, 2025: Following a site meeting, Kiron summarised discussions on disputed electricity accounts, water overbilling, bulk meter calibration and builder conduct. Action items with deadlines were outlined;

• December 3, 2025: Kiron confirmed HOA structure compliance, stating that developer-appointed directors served until the first AGM only, after which the homeowners elected directors. Corrections to municipal accounts billed in error were confirmed;

• December 4, 2025: Kiron provided the requested documentation, including deeds, the Memorandum of Incorporation, management agreements and minutes of meetings;

• January 15, 2026: Kiron requested final written confirmation from residents on outstanding matters to ensure closure;

• January 28, 2026: A legal letter was issued, instructing residents to stop obstructing construction following sustained obstruction.

Alberton Record’s enquiries and Kiron’s response

The Alberton Record emailed Kiron on January 29, enquiring about:

• the installed bulk water meter, despite homeowners holding full title deeds, and whether Kiron supported conversion to individual CoE water accounts;

• whose name the bulk water meter was registered under, and how water and rate payments were managed with the municipality;

• allegations of water and rates overbilling;

• municipal balances linked to 2024 for houses signed over to owners in 2025;

• claims of poor workmanship, and if reports were available;

• allegations that VIP security was deployed and threatened residents;

• the legal letter issued on January 28, 2026;

• the steps Kiron was taking to resolve the dispute.

On February 5, Kiron responded, stating that:

• the bulk water meter was installed according to municipal regulations and registered under the developer until handover;

• municipal accounts were managed through a professional agent, were fully paid and up to date;

• alleged overbilling was being corrected, and homeowners were not liable for historical errors;

• all statutory approvals and compliance certificates were in place, and reported issues were described as minor snags;

• security was deployed to protect workers only after construction stoppages;

• The January 28 legal letter was issued to maintain lawful access.

Kiron stated that it remained committed to facilitating engagement with the municipality, addressing snags and supporting the transition to full HOA management.

A criminal charge was lodged for inciting violence after residents blocked access to construction workers, with security tasked only with escorting workers safely through the estate.