North West Legislature Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements not happy with backlog on Housing Project in Moretele Municipality
The North West Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, Public Safety and Liaison, led by Chairperson Motlalepula Rosho, is not happy with the housing backlog in the Moretele Local Municipality. This came after the committee held a meeting with the municipality, the Department of Local Government and Human Settlements to address backlog experienced on housing projects in three villages.
In a presentation made by the municipality’s Mayor, Makinta Monaheng, the municipality faces a backlog of subsidised housing in several wards. The backlog includes a deserted housing project in Ward 11 in Mogogelo village, and in Ward 12, Maubane and Greenside. Some of the houses were approved by the Department of Housing and Human Settlements in 1994. “The projects did not go as planned because of improper project management. The improper implementation of the project led to hundreds of houses left incomplete. Some of the houses were only in slabs and others with wall plate stages with no roofing,” said Cllr Monaheng.
The municipality committed to resuscitate the project in conjunction with local government and human settlements department during the inception of the fifth administration and the project (B13100008) was approved and the contractor was also appointed in November 2014.
Synchrocom PTY LTD was appointed to built 400 units of houses at the value of R43 978 800. The Greenside received 138 units approved for ward 16. Maubane village got 90 units for approval in ward 15, while Mogogelo received 174 units approved for ward 11. However, the contractor abandoned the project incomplete.
Hon. Rosho said the department must explain why there are no penalty clauses in the contracts for these contractors. “The department of Local Government and Human Settlements must explain to us why they did not exercise penalty clause on contractors. We cannot continue to let contractors leave behind shoddy work without legal action taken against them,” she said.
Local government and human settlements department Head of Department, Ephraim Motoko has admitted that there are challenges in terms of contract management within the department, however, he said they are looking at addressing them.
“The unblocked project was implemented in a quest to fast track the development of houses within the Moretele local municipality however there is a dispute regarding a contractor because he does not co-operate. We have also found out that those who benefit for housing project are irrelevant people. Some of those who applied need to be de-registered because they have shelter already,” Motoko said.
Hon. Rosho further raised concerns around the delayed projects whereby they do not respond to the needs of the people in so far as allocation of houses is concerned, which displays the provincial government as a government that does not care for its people. She said it is unacceptable for people to wait for houses since 2008.
“More than 25 000 people need houses in the area so far, however the municipality along with local government and human settlements department has delayed to meet the target.
“This is unacceptable and we need to get a report within 7 days on the sequence of events since the awarding of the contracts as to who were the contractors, and the reasons as to when and why penalty clauses were removed from contract agreement. The department must explain to us how they will resolve the matter. We also need a monthly progress report. This department does not do oversight on their contractors and it does not monitor their housing project,” she said.
Hon. Rosho also raised concerns on the administrative management style in implementing the housing delivery projects, where she even appeal that the political head must be decisive on senior managers who are not operating within the legislative framework to promote corporate and good governance.
Enquiries:
Namhla Luhabe
Deputy Manager - Communications
North West Provincial Legislature
Tel : 018) 392 7000
Cell: 079 527 0628
E-mail : namhla@nwpl.org.za
