The KwaMasinenge community alleges that Ray Nkonyeni Municipality and the KZN Department of Human Settlements are selling new houses being built for them.

Angry residents recently set wood and other combustibles alight to show their frustration.
Residents have appointed a five-member ad hoc committee, which has applied to protest publicly on Wednesday, October 14.

They said that their houses are being sold at the expense of the KwaMasinenge residents living in extreme poverty, who desperately need houses.

The residents claim a private contractor is building new houses in the area for the needy, but they were never publicly called to register for new houses.

“People were visited in their shacks and asked to pay R12 000 to get their houses built. This was also extended to people not living in KwaMasinenge. People were phoned to pay and get houses built for them at KwaMasinenge. Our houses are being sold before they are even built for us,” said a member of the ad-hoc committee.

Furthermore, the committee claimed that the Department of Human Settlement is working with municipal officials to sell new and planned houses.

Residents also said a Projects Steering Committee (PSC) elected by the community was disbanded and a new one installed.

“We want his PSC to be disbanded and for the community to be allowed to elect its own PSC. We want a list of beneficiaries handed to the new committee. Registration of housing beneficiaries used to take place openly at our creche, but now it is done secretly from the construction site. Construction work must be stopped until these issues are resolved,” added the ad-hoc committee.

Comment was sought from the Department of Human Settlements and Ray Nkonyeni Municipality, but none was received at the time of going to press.

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