Community members from Kokosi decided to conduct their own inspection of the new low-cost houses being built in their area last weekend. On Sunday, about 500 community members went to the new Extension 6 housing project. According to Mr Sbu Ndubata, the community leader who led the action, they saw both good and bad things at the site. “We were very happy with the way one of the contractors has built the houses allocated to them up to now. We just wish the others would be advised to build their houses in the same way,” he told the Herald. Ndubatha and other community
members took the Herald on a walkabout around the showhouses built by Gosiane from Vereeniging, one of three contractors at the site. In addition to them being particularly well finished, they have tile roofs, are plastered inside and painted outside – not “white-washed” like those of the other contractors. Ndubata also showcased the neat foundations of the community’s preferred contractor in comparison to those of another contractor. This contractor had used small plastic pieces as the base upon which another part of the foundation rests, where Gosiane used robust concrete blocks. “The government sometimes thinks we are stupid and that we do not notice these things but there are members of the community who used to build houses themselves in the past and have the technical knowledge to point out what is wrong,” Ndubata told the Herald. He also revealed that the community plans to look at the list of beneficiaries to whom the houses have been allocated. “We know there are people from Khutsong and Wedela who also want
some of the houses being built here but they have already had their own houses built in those areas. “These houses are for the Kokosi residents,” he said emphatically. The Herald took the observations of the community members to the Merafong City Local Municipality after the visit. Among others, the publication wanted to know how it was possible that houses built by different contractors could differ so distinctly. “All the houses in the Kokosi Ext. 6 housing development project are built according to Gauteng Human settlements norms and standards and all contractors must comply with the given norms and standards. There are thus no differences in the house type as alluded to, all houses are the same, some contractors have opted to start with the finishes while the others are still busy with the construction,” the municipal spokesperson indicated. “As with all projects within the municipality, there are relevant project structures such as the project technical committee and the project steering committee that are in place and interact with the municipality’s housing section to respond to community queries. The municipality does not wish to manage the project outside of these parameters. Community members are encouraged to use the structures in place for assistance regarding Kokosi’s Ext. 6 housing development project. This development is progressing according to schedule and the individual beneficiaries will be contacted in due course. The list of beneficiaries is in the Gauteng Provincial Housing Subsidy Scheme (HSS) database and any queries in this regard can be referred to this source. Beneficiaries’
confidential information cannot be communicated through the media and the queries of individual beneficiaries must be directed to the housing section of the municipality,” the spokesperson concluded.
