Residents of Tudor Shaft informal settlement in Kagiso, Krugersdrop seem to be drawing short straws from the Department of Human Settlements.

In a written reply to the DA, the Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements, Lebogang Maile says, “Over 1 956 housing units are still incomplete while some are in various stages of construction, yet the Gauteng Department of Human Settlement has spent over R1b on 17 unfinished housing projects across the province”.

In a statement released on Tuesday,  the DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Human Settlements and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Mervyn Cirota,painted painted a dire picture.

“According to the MEC, the department has spent R1.3b of the R16.4b initial allocated budget on these housing projects. This is extremely concerning as the department has spent over R1b while some of these projects have used up their initial budget and some have underspent or spent nothing at all on the projects.

“The 3H Tamboville Proper and Wattville projects have used their entire budgets, while 3O Tswelopele Ext 6/ Winnie Mandela Park and SD Tudor Shaft (HAD) Kagiso Ext 13 projects have spent zero of their allocated budgets.”

Cirota bemoaned the situation and issued a warning.

“Despite this department not having a proper comprehensive plan to accommodate the beneficiaries of these unfinished housing projects, some of these projects are still at the beginning stages with only the preliminary assessments having been done.

“The longer these housing structures remain incomplete, the more vulnerable they are to vandalism and illegal occupation, which will cost the department more money to fix or rebuild, and evict illegal occupants.”

The Krugersdorp News asked Mogale City spokesperson Adrian Amod for comment on the issue, and he obtained the following information from the City’s Human Settlements division:

• The project is almost complete, pending completion of 50 outstanding units currently standing at distinct levels of construction.
• The contractor was appointed during the 2019/ 2020 fiscal year and later terminated the contract agreement, also vacating the site.
• The implementing agent, which is the Housing Development Agency (HDA) has appointed a contractor to complete these outstanding units.
• In terms of the approved contract the amount was split as follows: R1 036 596.20 (consulting/ project management fees), and R4 861 830,70 (contractor fees).
• The scope of work proportionately includes completion of 39 units at the wall-plate level, and construction of 11 units from the foundation phase – this after the site was handed over to the contractor on May 26.
• The anticipated completion date is August 31 and the earliest possible date for completion is July 30.