City launches independent probe into South Hills housing workmanship
Mayor Jolidee Matongo and Cogta MEC Lebogang Maile said will give the feedback of the investigation once it's done.
The City of Johannesburg Mayor, Jolidee Matongo, announced an independent investigation into the quality of the South Hills mixed housing development’s workmanship is to be launched on September 5.
The announcement came after the mayor, accompanied by Gauteng Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) MEC Lebogang Maile, conducted an oversight visit at the housing development following a recent protest by its beneficiaries.
The beneficiaries complained about poor workmanship on the development that has resulted in their flats suffering from cracked and damp walls and ongoing plumbing-related leaks.
They also frequently go without water and electricity for days.
Although the City’s project reports from the developers indicated that quality assurance was conducted on the housing development before the units were allocated to owners, Matongo said, “We will be appointing an independent auditor in the construction field to verify the quality of the workmanship on the development.
“The auditors will help us determine if indeed the concerns raised by owners are related to the workmanship, and where the faults point to the developers, they will certainly be held accountable.
“However, if the issue is on the City’s side on the provision of water and electricity, we will also certainly correct as a matter of urgency the ongoing concerns of the residents,” said the mayor.
Both the MEC and Matongo committed to continuing monitoring the South Hills development on behalf of its beneficiaries to ensure all the ongoing concerns raised are attended to and accountability is demonstrated.
Matongo promised he will be returning to South Hills, with Maile, once an independent report has been completed.
Maile pointed out that residents who burned tyres and blocked roads during their recent protest had the right to protest; however, he warned that protests needed to follow prescribed legal frameworks that ensured other residents’ rights were not violated in the process.
The development in a City of Johannesburg project located in the south of the metropolitan. It has a total of 5 702 housing units that consist of RDP units, community rental units and bonded units.
