6 November 2007
Minister of Housing Lindiwe Sisulu has asked the National Home Builders
Regulation Council (NHBRC) to conduct a forensic audit of a major Eastern Cape
housing project after residents raised complaints about poor workmanship at a
Presidential Imbizo.
Two months after the Imbizo, Minister Sisulu yesterday returned to Ugie in
North-West Transkei â as she promised she would â with the construction company
responsible for building the homes, Power Construction, in tow.
She commended Power Construction for its willingness to return to Ugie.
Sam Dube, a director of Power Construction, told the gathered residents his
company did not turn its back on its projects, and was committed to making good
where its builders had been at fault. There was no question that Power would
accept responsibility for fixing structures, if any were found to have been
poorly built. But he pointed out that the area had recently been buffeted by an
extreme storm, and that many of the houses had been built prior to new NHBRC
building standards.
Minister Sisulu told the community that she had asked the NHBRC to carry out
a forensic audit of the approximately 2 000-home project in Ugie. Government
was committed to providing quality homes to the people, homes that could become
tradable assets.
Minister Sisulu said: "The NHBRC audit will determine the quality of the
building work. We need to understand what went wrong here. If the contractor
was at fault, he is here and committed to making good. If the municipality was
at fault, the municipality is here, too."
"If their work is sub-standard and they are unwilling to rectify it, the
company would be denied any further government contracts."
The gathering was also attended by Eastern Cape MEC for Housing Tokozile
Xasa, and the mayors of Elundini Municipality and Ukahlamba District
Municipality.
The Minister, MEC and Mayors joined the community in rebuilding the
houses.
Enquiries:
Ndivhuwo Mabaya
Cell: 083 645 7838
Issued by: Department of Housing
6 November 2007
