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13 years later, Inxiweni residents continue to suffer without title deeds

The residents of Inxiweni RDP houses in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni, continue to suffer without the security of tenure as the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements delays in issuing them with title deeds.

The rightful beneficiaries of Inxiweni RDP housing units were allocated to their houses in 2009 and to date, they have not yet been issued with title deeds.

This has severely affected the residents as they do not have any documents to use as evidence of proof of ownership of the housing units that they live in.

This information was revealed to the DA during an oversight inspection in the area.

In some cases, the rightful beneficiaries have since passed away, and they left their children and grandchildren who are living in fear as they do not have any documents to prove that their spouse owns the property.

Some residents claim that the previous ANC-led Ekurhuleni government informed them that these housing units belong to the municipality, not the rightful beneficiaries.

Please see the images here, here, and here. 

Delays in issuing these rightful beneficiaries with title deeds opens the system to corruption as some beneficiaries claim that they have been issued with new house numbers that are different from the initial numbers that they were given when they were allocated into these housing units.

The DA will be directly engaging with the Gauteng MEC of Human Settlement and Infrastructure, Lebohang Maile, to ascertain why the rightful beneficiaries of these housing units have not yet been issued with title deeds. The ANC government needs to understand that every title deed delayed is dignity denied to the residents of this province and the DA will write to the Public Protector, Kholeka Gcaleka to request her to investigate the matter.

Title deeds play an integral part in redressing the injustices of the past and empowering families for generations to come.

We will continue to demand that MEC Maile’s department must issue title deeds to these beneficiaries as they are being denied the security of tenure. Where the DA governs in municipalities across the province, we ensure that all the beneficiaries of housing projects are issued with title deeds so that they can have full ownership of their properties for the benefit of their families.

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DA Challenges MEC Mashatile To Address Wattville Hostel Residents

Wattville Hostels

The appalling living conditions of over 3500 residents occupying the Wattville Hostels in Wattville Ekurhuleni can no longer be ignored by the Metro Municipality and the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements.

Residents are subjected to inhumane conditions. Raw sewerage, leaking roofs, crumbling building infrastructure, numerous water leaks, dumped animal waste and carcasses, dilapidated toilets and illegal and unsafe electricity connections are but a few of the issues that residents face daily.

The DA has on numerous occasions called on the Gauteng Human Settlements MEC, Paul Mashatile to intervene by working together with the Metro in ensuring services are delivered and conditions improved at the hostels.

Many of the residents feel unsafe as gates have collapsed, all windows are broken and no doors to the hostel units are fixed.

The uncaring and unresponsive ANC government in Ekurhuleni and the province simply chose to ignore these conditions and left the community stranded after their 2016 local election campaign.

The DA challenges the Human Settlements MEC to get out of his office and to stop sitting on his hands and start addressing the myriad of concerns by residents. The MEC must accompany the DA to see for himself the type of on-the-ground conditions residents are being subjected to.

The time for promises is over. Action is what is needed in delivering the essential services which residents of the Wattville Hostels desperately deserve.

The DA will continue to pursue various action steps to ensure that the residents of Wattville are no longer forgotten.

 

 

Media Enquiries

Michele Clarke MPL
DA Constituency Head: Benoni
060 558 8309
 
Mervyn Cirota MPL
DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Human Settlements
060 558 8312
 
Yaseen Carelse
Social Cluster Manager
076 721 8613
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Cradle Of Humankind’s Heritage Status May Go Extinct

Land Fragmentation and Land Development

The Gauteng Department of Economic Development must take swift action to prevent the Cradle of Humankind from losing its world heritage status.

Reports by the Cradle of Humankind Director, Mags Pillay to the Economic Development Oversight Committee that the heritage site is under threat due to land fragmentation and land development raises serious concerns about the department’s role in executing its functions as an environmental agency.

MEC for Economic Development, Lebogang Maile must liaise with Gauteng Cooperative Governance, Traditional Affairs and Housing MEC, Paul Mashatile to iron out spatial development and new housing projects ear-marked for the area.

While the need for housing and access to land is a pertinent issue, the Cradle’s scientific and tourism value should not be compromised.

The DA will actively work with all interested parties to ensure that the Cradle does not lose its world heritage status, nor that its tourism numbers decline.

 

 

 

Media enquiries:

Janet Semple MPL

DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Economic Development

082 462 8239

 

Warren Gwilt

Economic Cluster Manager

073 601 6144

[Image source]

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Wattville Hostel Conditions Ignored By ANC-Ekurhuleni

Wattville Hostel – Ekurhuleni

The appalling conditions at Wattville Hostel in Actonville, Ekurhuleni have been ignored by the ANC-led council in the metro.

Three years have gone by and no action has been taken to address the health and safety concerns of residents.

DA local Ward Councillor, Haseena Ismail, had submitted 8 petitions on behalf of the community yet it was ignored.

The DA has also submitted a motion in council for mobile chemical toilets as there is no maintenance at the hostel and raw sewerage flows into the streets.

Service-orientated Government

Gauteng Premier David Makhura in his State of the Province Address promised the conversion of hostels into family units. The DA will hold the Premier accountable on this promise.

Residents deserve a responsive, caring and service-orientated government; for far too long have the residents’ cries gone unheard.

The DA will write to Human Settlements MEC, Paul Mashatile, to request that he visit the hostel and address residents and listen to their concerns.

 

 

 

Media Enquiries
 
 
 
Michele Clarke MPL
DA Gauteng Constituency Head – Benoni
060 558 8299
 
Yaseen Carelse
Social Development Cluster Manager
076 721 8613
 
 
 
[Image source]
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MEC Mashatile Must Explain Failure To Deliver Houses In Princess

Destruction of Property

The DA has today submitted questions to Gauteng Human Settlements MEC, Paul Mashatile, on the failure to deliver 380 homes in Ward 71, Princess, Johannesburg.

The MEC and the department of human settlements have for a number of years promised the community of Princess the delivery of houses with running water and electricity.

The unrest and destruction of property by the residents of Princess is condemned, however, their frustration and despair is understood.

Unfinished Projects in Gauteng

This provincial housing project has failed to deliver basic services and promised homes to the community of Princess.

The MEC must explain the reason for the delay not only in Princess, but across the many unfinished projects in Gauteng.

Immediate intervention is needed as many families across the province are frustrated and will ultimately resort to protest action.

MEC Mashatile has a duty to ensure that all provincial housing projects are completed on time and delivered to communities as promised.

 

 

 

Media enquiries:

Mervyn Cirota MPL

DA Gauteng Spokesperson on Human Settlements

060 558 8312

[Image source]

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A-G Report Reveals R700million Spent On Evaton Renewal Project

Evaton Renewal Project

Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements, Paul Mashatile, has misled Members of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) by claiming the cost of the Evaton Renewal Project (ERP) was R470 million when the actual figure is just over R700 million.

According to the Auditor General’s report “Performance audit of the effectiveness of the urban renewal programmes in Gauteng” the project cost for the ERP stood at R708 474 966.

Initiated in 2004, the project was intended to uplift and improve the lives of Evaton residents by developing roads, increasing sanitation, delivering housing and creating an environment conducive for the local economy to grow.

Legislature Integrity Commissioner

Furthermore, the A-G reported that the progress on the ERP was “not substantial” and the projects completed were “small and less impactful”.

Currently, residents of Evaton are making use of pit-toilets, houses have not been built as planned and roads and storm water drainage are poorly built and maintained.

The DA will report MEC Mashatile to the Legislature Integrity Commissioner to have his utterances in misleading the Legislature and the public investigated in terms of Section 280 (2) (c) of the Standing Rules of the GPL.

Despite the funds that have been poured into this project, Evaton still remains one of Gauteng’s most neglected townships.

 

 

Media enquiries:

Kingsol Chabalala MPL

DA Gauteng Constituency Head – Emfuleni

060 558 8299

[Image source]

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Gauteng Human Settlements Unable To Pay Debt

The Gauteng Department of Human Settlements (GDHS) is in major financial distress.

The startling admission by the Head of the GDHS, Daniel Molokomme, that the department is unable to pay a debt of R220 million to the Red Ants is alarming.

According to the GDHS Head, assistance is required from National Treasury, which raises the concern that the department is unable to perform its financial duties.

In the past 2015/16 financial year, the Auditor General attached a damning report to the department’s financial statements in the annual report.

The AG noted:

  • The stopping of the conditional grant allocation for the Human Settlements Development Grant by the National Department of Human Settlements, which was adjusted down by R908.3 million in terms of section 19 of the Division of Revenue Act (DORA);
  • That effective steps were not taken to prevent irregular expenditure amounting to R438.5 million;
  • Controls over daily and monthly processing and reconciling of transactions to support financial reporting commitments and irregular expenditure were insufficiently implemented by senior management;
  • That the departments service delivery operating model was inadequate and senior management was not coordinated to achieve valid and accurate financial and performance reporting; and
  • That compliance with DORA was not reviewed and monitored on a continuous basis by senior management.

If the department is unable to manage its funds, this may have an adverse effect on all municipalities in the province, especially with conditional grant funding.

Gauteng Human Settlements MEC Paul Mashatile, must publicly state the current financial status of this department, as thousands of resident’s lives may be affected.

It would be disastrous to halt service delivery due to the department’s senior management’s ineptitude.

Before MEC Mashatile makes utterances about placing DA Municipalities under administration, because the ANC has not yet accepted the outcome of the Local Government Elections, he should rather spend his time ensuring that his department can fulfil its Constitutional mandate of service delivery.

 

 

Media enquiries:

Mervyn Cirota MPL

DA Gauteng Spokesperson on Human Settlements

060 558 8312

[Image source]

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ANC Regional Secretary Must Pay Back Unlawful Second Salary

Bheki Ngobese

The DA will write to Gauteng Human Settlements MEC Paul Mashatile and ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe to demand an explanation why an ANC official receives salaries from both the party and the Sedibeng District Municipality.

Mr Bheki Ngobese, resigned from the Sedibeng District Municipality after being elected to the position of Regional Secretary for the ANC on 5 November 2014, but still receives a salary from Sedibeng.

The ANC position is a full-time salaried job, and while the exact package is unknown, it is alleged to be similar to that of a Mayor or Member of a Mayoral Committee.

Since assuming his ANC position in November 2014, Mr Ngobesi has reportedly been paid more than R900 000 from Sedibeng.

Mr Ngobesi’s second salary is illegal, and clearly shows how the ANC in Gauteng abuses state resources to enrich its party faithful.

The only way to resolve this is to force Mr Ngobesi to immediately pay back the R900 000.

The DA will continue to pursue this matter on municipal and provincial level, and will not hesitate to lay criminal charges against Mr Ngobesi if he refuses to pay back the money.

 

Media enquiries:

Kingsol Chabalala MPL

DA Gauteng Constituency Head – Emfuleni

060 558 8299

[Image source]

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DA Debates 2016/17 Gauteng Human Settlements Budget

Speech by: Mervyn Cirota MPL

“Gauteng housing fails its constitutional mandate”

  • Reality suggests that in the last 2 years of the current administration, this department’s performance continues to fall further and further behind its minimum intended targets.
  • The MEC must explain what steps are being taken to regulate and accommodate the 200 000 people that move into this province every year?
  • The department of human settlements budget for the 2016/17 financial year has been reduced by a staggering R1bn in an environment where the backlog of housing which now exceeds 1 million. This could have been used to build 7500 homes. This amount has been reduced due to under spending by the department.
  • That is why in situ upgrading remains an absolute priority and why the obsession with mega cities fails to factor in the reluctance of many citizens of both formal and informal settlements to be moved away from close to where they work and live and where their livelihoods are familiar and surroundings are secure.
  • The budget as a whole is misdirected, lacking in imagination, failing in policy implementation, its priorities confused and with little vision or planning.

The full speech can be obtained here.

 

Media enquiries:

Mervyn Cirota

Gauteng Spokesperson on Human Settlements

060 558 8312

[Image source]

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Gauteng Desperately Needs A Forensic Investigation Into Housing Corruption

RDP Houses

Gauteng residents who applied for housing opportunities 15 years ago and were allocated houses still remain homeless.

This comes as news broke of corrupt officials, ward committee members, and rogue police officers in Winnie Mandela informal settlement, Ekurhuleni,  having misallocated stands and RDP houses causing beneficiaries to be ignored.

These houses are alleged to be illegally occupied by friends and colleagues of said officials.

Continuing Corrupt Practices

An investigation conducted into corrupt practices by the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements in 2005 still remain unresolved.

The DA will write to Human Settlements MEC, Paul Mashatile, to request that he urgently conduct a provincial housing audit and launch a new investigation into corrupt practices.

Claims made by Gauteng residents of unjust and continuing corrupt practices cannot be ignored.

The MEC must verify these claims and follow up with the necessary remedial action.

Many residents have been robbed the opportunity to obtain keys to their homes and have waited far too long for the provincial department to step in.

Corruption has no place in a free, fair and democratic society. Fraudulent practices must be rooted out.

 

Media enquiries:

Mervyn Cirota MPL

DA Gauteng Spokesperson on Human Settlements

060 558 8312

[Image source]