Human Settlements Minister, Mamoloko Kubayi, has apologised to disaster victims in the Mhlontlo Local Municipality for government’s slow pace in responding to their needs for housing, after their homes were destroyed by recent disasters.
Kubayi made the apology during her two-day visit to the OR Tambo District Municipality on August 23 and 24, which was aimed at engaging the affected communities, whose homes were either partially or completely damaged during recent floods.
She was accompanied by her deputy, Pam Tshwete, and provincial Human Settlements MEC, Sipokazi Mani-Lusithi.
During a community engagement at the Tsolo Junction TRC Hall in the Mhlontlo Local Municipality on August 23, community members told Kubayi of empty promises, shoddy workmanship, with some houses left with leaking roofs, and abandoned trenches that were dug for the construction of houses that never happened.
“In our area, more than one person was allocated the same house; the houses were also constructed poorly and are leaking. We were promised years ago that government would fix the problems and we have been waiting since we were given the houses in 1997,” said community member, Mfanelo Xwayi, from Ward 6 of the Mhlontlo Local Municipality.
Kubayi said, as part of accelerating response to disasters, that government would now implement a programme that would see beneficiaries actively involved in constructing their houses.
“The turnaround time for the delivery of temporary shelters needs to be improved.
“Therefore, the department will strengthen its Enhanced People’s Housing Process (EPHP) programme, to complement efforts to respond to disasters. In this programme, beneficiaries will be actively involved in constructing their houses,” Kubayi said.
“To improve overall performance, a technical team in the district has been activated to deal with some of the challenges that must be immediately prioritised. These include ensuring that all disasters are treated with the urgency that requires us to assist affected families.”
Kubayi also warned all implementing agents and contractors working on human settlements projects across the country that the days of poor project delivery without consequences are coming to an end.
“Contractors who abandon projects and fail to deliver quality human settlements timeously will face the prospect of being blacklisted,” she concluded.
