Failing ANC-led Gauteng underspends and fails to build houses for people oppressed by poverty

by Mervyn Cirota MPL – DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Human Settlements

The failed ANC-led Gauteng administration cannot be trusted with providing houses for people oppressed by poverty as they consistently underspend on their allocated budget and are unable to meet targets.
According to the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements First Quarterly Report for the 2017/18 financial year, they underspent by 69% in the Housing Development Programme.
The department has also failed to meet all of its targets.
The planned target of 50 houses to be built for provincial specific programmes was not achieved.
The target of 60 projects planned using building technologies (IBTs) was not achieved.
20 Community Residential Units were identified for conversion, but this target was also not met.
1050 stands were supposed to be serviced as part of the first phase of the Integrated Residential Development Programme (IRDP) but this did not happen.
In addition, of the planned target of 1627 stands serviced for the IRDP Phase Two, only 1229 stands were serviced with a shortfall of 398 stands.
The department claims that none of these targets were met because of the delay in appointing contractors, the slow pace of work by the contractors and interference by the local business forum.
It is totally unacceptable that a fully furnished department with all the required resources and budget is failing to achieve any of its targets.
This is a clear indication that the ANC has failed in its mandate to provide houses for our poor people, and make excuse after excuse for not delivering.
The Gauteng Premier, David Makhura and Human Settlement MEC, Uhuru Moiloa are paying lip service and continue to break their promises.
The Gauteng housing waiting list has reached over a million. It is now clear that the ANC-led Gauteng government has failed to deliver dignified houses to our people and can no longer be trusted.
The DA is the only party that can bring Change and provide adequate houses for Gauteng residents oppressed by poverty and unemployment.