RDP misery

Some 1 300 RDP houses that were built to improve the living standards of the disadvantaged have been left unoccupied. RDP houses situated in Lebanon, Extension 3 in Mabopane were built by the Gamonte Construction Company in 2010.

Residents of Lebanon marched to the councillor’s office in January as a result of their dissatisfaction, but several months later there still has not been a positive outcome. According to the councillor of Mabopane Ward 19, Lenda Kwenda, only 300 of the 1 300 houses have not been occupied.

Residents have been complaining that the houses are occupied by people who are from extensions of neighbouring areas, not Lebanon. Lebanon resident Stella Nkosi said she was surprised to see a stranger move into her RDP house while she was left in her shack. “After signing all the necessary paperwork in 2003, they still did not give me the house that is rightfully mine. Instead, they gave it to someone else. I should have been given first preference as it is my native land,” said Nkosi.

Residents have alleged that the councillor has provided water meters and illegal electricity cables to the RDP houses that have not yet been occupied. Phineas Ngwenya, another resident who decided to move into one of the RDP houses after his shack burnt down, said he has been a resident of Lebanon since 1972. He is also a pensioner. “Nyaope boys come and leave their faeces on my dinner plate and they also dump their rubbish in my bedroom. They told me that the reason they do so is to irritate me so that I move out and they can occupy the house,” said Ngwenya.

Kwenda said the majority of the houses were occupied and she could not place people in houses without proper infrastructure. “Not everyone can move in yet, some houses are incomplete. The municipality still needs to install running water before they can move in. We are busy negotiating with private owners to install pipes so that everyone has access to running water,” said Kwenda.