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The Gauteng Department of Human Settlements has constantly failed the residents in dire need of dignified housing. Gauteng residents have been forced to live in inhumane, unsanitary, and undignified housing for years because the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements this department cannot get their priorities in order.

This has led to residents becoming increasingly dissatisfied with their living conditions and expressing their frustrations through service delivery protests over their lack of suitable housing.

Many promises previously made by former Premier David Makhura have now been repeated by Premier Panyaza Lesufi, who says many mega housing projects in the pipeline on the West Rand will provide housing to residents in need of dignified housing.

According to a reply to the Democratic Alliance's questions tabled in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL), no mega-housing projects have been completed since the commencement of the programme.

Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements, Lebogang Maile, has indicated that there are currently six mega projects to be completed, with the Westonaria Borwa project, which commenced in 2011, still nowhere near completion.

These Mega Projects were expected to deliver between 5100 and 12300 units of different typologies over many years. The main aim of the Mega Projects is to develop new human settlements.

The following Mega Projects have been undertaken in the West Rand District Municipalities:
1. Affrivillage - 2172 units of which have been completed;
2. Montrose - 394 units of which have been completed.
3. Elijah - 5020 units of which have been completed.
4. Westonaria Borwa - 2196 units of which have been completed;
5. Dan Tloome - 3290 units of which have been completed;
6. Western Mega - 279 units of which have been completed.

Furthermore, an amount of R8 572 120 000, 00 has been spent on these Mega Housing Projects since 2015.

This is a clear indication that the department is incapable of building adequate and dignified housing for Gauteng residents.

Premier Panyaza Lesufi is making empty promises as an electioneering tool ahead of the 2024 general elections.

The DA demands that a forensic investigation be launched into all the Mega Housing Projects in the province to determine why it is taking so long for these projects to be completed.

A DA government in 2014 will prioritise completing all the megaprojects in the province.

Issued by Mervyn Cirota MPL - DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Human Settlements