The Evaton community has today taken their plight regarding the corruption at the Zonder-Water housing project to the Emfuleni Human settlements offices in Vereeniging.

They have instituted a sit-in at the Human settlements office and are demanding answers regarding this stalled housing project. 

Work on the Zonder-Water housing development began in 2011, but came to an inexplicable halt in March 2013.

For the past two years, the construction company that won the tender to carry out work on the project, Rirothe Construction, has not been on site.

The budget for this development was set at R5,5 million, but despite their having been no activity on site for the past two years, R5,1 million has already been paid to the construction company.

Of 935 homes to be built as part of the Zonder-Water housing project, only 256 have been constructed – despite 92% of the budget having been paid to the construction company.

Rirothe Construction was contracted to build 256 houses, but another 100 was added to the order. These they could not complete due to not being paid by the department.

The community is claiming now that Mister Kabila Makhangane, who employees the current contractor working at the site, is an employee of the Department of Cooperative Governance a Traditional Affairs (COGTA).

Questions needs to be asked over why the department of human settlements paid over R5 million to the construction company despite the houses not having been completed and why no action has been taken against the company in light of its non-performance to date.

The DA has submitted complaints  regarding the project to both the Auditor-General and  the Public Protector, who have confirmed that they will investigate the matter.

It is critical that anyone guilty of corruption and financial maladministration must be held accountable

The DA is committed to bringing change where it governs. Change that stops corruption and starts service delivery.

Issued by DA