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The Democratic Alliance (DA) will request an investigation from the Hawks into a housing delivery failure in Eiffel Village in the Joe Morolong Local Municipality.

This follows the failure of both the MEC for Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements & Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA), Bentley Vass, and the Municipal Manager of Joe Morolong, Tebogo Tlhoaele, to respond to earlier requests for information.

It is unacceptable that both the department and municipality refuse to account and fail to give answers to the community.

The development of 57 identified sites begun in 2015. Three years later, trenches have been dug at 19 sites, foundations laid at a further 19 sites and incomplete structures erected on the remaining 19 sites.

After the contractors left the project in 2015, there has been no activity and no answers to the intended beneficiaries on when or if the project will resume.

At this stage, it is unclear why the project was halted, if the municipality intends for it to resume or what the cost implications of this extensive delay will be. The municipality’s plans and budgets for the current financial year does not appear to make provision for the continuation of the project, which could mean that people will be left without houses for yet another year.

Municipal officials involved with the mismanagement of the project must be held liable.

It is unacceptable that people are left without the basic dignity of a roof over their heads and that the ANC-led government runs away from providing answers to beneficiaries.

The DA will continue fighting for change so that every person has the dignity of a house.

Issued by DA