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Public Protector Adv Thuli Madonsela has announced that she will be launching an investigation into maladministration regarding the delivery of RDP houses nationwide.

This is a welcome development for the many South Africans who have been at the receiving end of the poor quality housing delivery that results from maladministration.  

Over the past three months I have conducted a series of visits to housing developments across the country to assess the quality of RDP housing projects being delivered to South Africans.

I will today be writing to the Public Protector to submit a summary of the findings from these visits. In addition, I will request that the poorly built developments that we identified are included in the scope of her investigation to assess whether there is any evidence of maladministration in these cases.

These sites include:

• Umlazi B10 Housing Project in eThekwini - Many RDP houses in this development are uninhabitable as a result of poor workmanship, such as unstable walls which leak during the rainy season.
• RDP Developments in Wards 44 and 49 in Braamfischerville - Crumbling and dilapidated houses in RDP developments in these areas have become health hazards. Houses are built in sites where water oozes from the ground, resulting in the growth of algae on interior walls, which poses significant health risks to both adults and children.
• Sweetwaters and Tarkastad Housing Projects in Port Elizabeth - Members of this community have had to desert their homes after their roofs fell off. In one case, an elderly lady was forced to occupy a leaking container after her RDP house disintegrated three years ago.
• RDP Developments in Lekwa, Govan Mbeki and Victor Khanye Municipalities – RDP homes in these areas were cracked and leaking, meaning that the residents had to abandon their homes. Approximately 2000 RDP houses required rebuilding in one of the local developments, Rooikopen Extension 4.

The creation of sustainable human settlements is essential if we are to give our most vulnerable citizens the opportunities they deserve to lift themselves out of poverty.
The Public Protector’s commitment to investigate maladministration in the building of RDP homes is an important step forward.

It is essential that, if there is evidence of maladministration in the construction of RDP developments, those responsible are held accountable.