Ekurhuleni DA mayoral candidate Khathutshelo Rasilingwane is picking the fight to ensure residents of Ekurhuleni who need adequate housing get it.

Last week Thursday, Rasilingwane took their demands directly to the office of Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, calling for urgent provincial intervention.

Joined by frustrated residents, she delivered a Memorandum of Demands, highlighting what it describes as years of failed governance, stalled projects, and growing desperation among more than 318 000 households still waiting for adequate housing in the metro.

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According to the DA, several major housing developments across Ekurhuleni have been left incomplete, abandoned, or vandalised despite millions of rands already being spent.

Among the affected projects are Winnie Mandela Ext 25, Mackenzieville Ext 2, Esselen, and Vosloorus Ext 9.

The party argues that as these projects continue to deteriorate, the cost of restoring them rises, placing further strain on public resources while thousands of families remain without homes.

“The reality is that residents are being failed. Housing is not a privilege or a political favour; it is a constitutional right.

“Every resident deserves access to safe, secure, and affordable housing,” said Rasilingwane.

The DA has outlined several key demands to both the Gauteng Provincial Government and the City of Ekurhuleni.

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These include full transparency on the housing waiting list, clarity on progress made in addressing the backlog since 1996, and a thorough investigation into alleged irregularities in the allocation of houses, including corruption and favouritism.

Furthermore, the party is calling for a clear, measurable plan to eliminate the housing backlog, complete with timelines that allow residents to hold authorities accountable.

Residents who joined the march expressed frustration with years of waiting, saying they have lost hope in government promises as housing projects remain incomplete and communities continue to grow without proper infrastructure.

The DA maintains that poor oversight, inefficiency, and a lack of accountability are at the centre of the crisis.

The party has vowed to continue putting pressure on both provincial and local governments to deliver solutions that restore residents’ dignity.

“We will continue to stand with the people of Ekurhuleni. This fight is about restoring dignity, ensuring delivery, and putting residents first.

“It is important because many residents have waited 3 decades for the housing, but more importantly, that they are housing projects left abandoned,” said Rasilingwane.

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With the budget stalemate, the city’s ability to effectively deliver essential services, maintain infrastructure, and implement developmental projects in the upcoming financial year has been halted.

In the proposed budget, the city claims it plans to improve housing delivery in the 2026/27 financial year by moving from planning to building more houses.

It highlights investment in 11 mega human settlement projects that aim to deliver about 70 000 housing units.

The budget further said it will also support informal settlements by allocating funds for re-blocking, relocating households to serviced land, and planning future housing developments.

Overall, the goal is to ensure that more residents receive proper housing, legal addresses, and title deeds, improving living conditions and providing a better future.