Tembisa housing project stalls spark outrage
Five years later, the Thembisa Mega Housing Project is still not finished, and not a single beneficiary has moved in.
A group of frustrated contractors and housing beneficiaries gathered in Ext 25 on May 13 to demand answers regarding the long-abandoned Tembisa Mega Housing Project, which has been inactive for years.
The site visit was led by Deputy Minister of Human Settlements, Tandi Mahambehlala, Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements, Tasneem Motara, and the Mayor of the City of Ekurhuleni, Nkosindiphile Xhakaza.
The project, launched during the 2018/2019 financial year, was initially intended to deliver more than 3 500 housing units as part of the metro’s spatial transformation agenda.
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It was expected to benefit vulnerable residents and qualifying beneficiaries from Winnie Mandela, Thubakgale, and backyard dwellers.
Former worker Tsietsi Kukame, from Winnie Mandela, expressed dissatisfaction with how the project unfolded.
“We worked on this site and built some of the structures. To this day, we haven’t been paid. We used to carry heavy materials with our bare hands, but it seems our hard work was for nothing.
“We are owed money, and no one from the government is explaining what’s going on,” said Kukame.
Contractors at the meeting echoed similar frustrations, stating they had been kept in the dark since the project halted.
Some reported being last on site in 2021, before work was abruptly stopped and, according to them, replaced by foreign labour.
Local residents listed as housing beneficiaries said they have been waiting for years without any communication from housing authorities.
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Dimakatso Sebilwane, a resident of Ward 7 in Tembisa, accused the municipality of empty promises.
“When the project started, it included everyone. The contractors were from the area, but the problems began when it was time to pay workers. It seemed the budget was insufficient.
“Yet, this project appears in the city’s budget every year, but there is no visible progress. The question is, where is the money going?” Sebilwane asked.
Resident Khayanga Setlatjile KaLanga added, “They are here to repackage the same promises from 2020. Always promising, never delivering. It’s painful.”
City and department officials acknowledged the project’s numerous setbacks.
“This is a 2018/19 financial year project. It has faced various challenges, including changes to project specifications and issues with contractors.
“Construction mafias also took over the site, eventually leading to a total shutdown and subsequent vandalism,” said Simelane.
Simelane committed to unblocking the project but did not provide a timeline for when construction would resume.
