eMbalenhle Chris Hani section RDP housing project turns into a nightmare for residents

What was supposed to be a dream come true for residents of Chris Hani Section has turned into a year-long nightmare after the contractor appointed to build RDP houses abandoned the project, leaving behind incomplete structures.

Residents say they received instructions to demolish their existing shacks to make way for the new houses, but nearly a year later, they remain stranded with half-built homes and no clear answers.

Rose Mnguni, a mother of four, shared her painful experience.

“When the contractor arrived, I was full of hope. I believed I would finally have a proper house for my children, but months later, in September last year, the contractor disappeared, leaving behind walls with no roof,” said Mnguni.

She dismantled her four-room shack at the contractor’s request. With no home, she had to rent two rooms for her children, but could not afford the rent.

“We now squeeze into a leaking two-room shack. I have two boys and two girls, and when one wants to bathe, the others must go outside regardless of the weather. It’s not safe or dignified,” said Mnguni.

She said she approached her local councillor for help, and he promised to follow up with the Govan Mbeki Municipality’s (GMM) housing section.

Later, he called us to a meeting and said he was still waiting for a response. Piet Msomi, a pensioner caring for his two school-going grandchildren, echoed the frustration.

“I was told to remove my three-room shack, and I did so with joy, expecting a better home. Now we’ve been stuck in a one-room shack for almost a year. As a pensioner, I don’t have the means to finish building the house,” said Msomi.

Some residents suspect the contractor may have stopped work because of non-payment, though no official confirmation has been provided.

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Residents demand accountability
Affected residents are now calling on the GMM to intervene and provide clarity on the status of the project.

“We deserve answers; they took away our shelters with the promise of better homes. Now we are worse off,” said one concerned resident.

Donald Green, the content developer and media liaison for the municipality, said the GMM is aware of this low-cost housing project and its challenges under the emergency intervention programme of the Departments of Co-operative Governance, Traditional Affairs, and Human Settlements.

Green said the municipality is continuing to engage with the department and the contractor to fast-track the completion of the houses in the area.

“The contractor is on site, and the project is ongoing. The beneficiaries did not receive information about the delays experienced by the contractor. However, the contractor remains committed to completing the project,” said Green.

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