DEMOCRATIC Alliance leader Helen Zille has criticised the Eastern Cape government for wasting money and for the lack of housing.

During campaigning at Walmer in Port Elizabeth yesterday, Zille said she had heard of residents' frustrations at broken promises on housing delivery and understood this was aggravated because of "corrupt and fruitless expenditure".

"Eastern Cape recorded the highest level of irregular expenditure in the past financial year amounting to R2,7billion. It is particularly infuriating considering that Eastern Cape had R500million of its municipal infrastructure grant withdrawn by the national Treasury because the province failed to spend the money," she said in remarks prepared for delivery.

"It is bizarre in this context that the municipality said it ran out of money," she added.

The remarks then turned to a government housing project at Gunguluza in Kwanobuhle, Uitenhage.

Earlier she tweeted: "Off to 'Walmer Township' with @lindimazibuko. Prez Zuma also in PE opening an RDP housing project made possible by the DA ward councillor!"

According to her speech, the ward's DA councillor Franay van der Linde campaigned for the more than 2000 houses since 2006, and it was because of her hard work that the community had houses.

She said she was not asking for "undying allegiance to the DA", because "No party in a democracy deserves that kind of loyalty.

"All we are asking you is to lend us your vote for the next five years. If we fail you, you can take your vote back."

During campaigning in Alexandra in Johannesburg on Sunday, Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale was assailed by pleas for housing.