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LOSING PATIENCE: Makasa 2 resident Phillip Mokhwanas in Taung, North West, points to the only RDP house that was built as a show house. He applied for an RDP house in 2001 but he is still waiting for it. PHOTO: MABUTI KALI

PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING: Keolebogile Phuti, who owns the only house built in Makasa 2 in Taung, North West.

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Keolebogile Phuti's mother, Nomana Phuti, 66, was the only beneficiary in the low-cost RDP house project in Mokassa 2 in Ba Ga Phuduhucwana Extention (ward 5).

The Taung local municipality housing project in the area was worth R8.1m. In another area Ba Ga Maidi (ward 13), no houses were built in the R8.5m project.

The municipality made payments worth more than R16m to MD3 Developers.

The municipality did not respond to questions sent on Wednesday relating to the matter.

Phuti, 33, told Sowetan that her mother was given the house keys in 2006.

"My mother and other residents were told the house was a display unit for the RDP houses that would be built in the area. She was given the house because her house number was used," Phuti said.

But her mother does not live in the house. She lives in Tamasikwa village.

"My brother built a house there. She lives there because there are children in the family who attend school. Here in Mokassa the schools are far away so I had to move into the RDP house," Phuti said. "I sympathise with the residents who never benefited. People really need houses in this place. I am worried about the situation here. I share their pain. People are suffering here."

Phuti is living with her mother in Tamasikwa village because she recently gave birth.

"I have someone guarding the house and I will be returning to it soon," she said.

The Taung municipality awarded a tender to MD3 Developers to build 731 houses: 360 in Ba Ga Phuduhucwana Extension and 371 at Ba Ga Maidi. But the company failed to deliver on the contractual agreement, leading to residents embarking on service delivery protests.

The Department of Human Settlements launched investigations and engaged the special investigation unit (SIU) last year. The SIU probe revealed that only one house was built.

The Hawks arrested the company's directors, Janice Mendes, 42, and Machiel Marais, 47, last week. Mendes and Marais are out on R1000 and R5000 bail, respectively.

They will be back in the dock on February 16.

Comments

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Thu May 23 06:42:30 SAST 2013 ::

Jan 20, 2012

Pointman

Corruption multiplies the misery of the poor. Ignorance and poverty are fertile ground for corruption. If you want to see what I mean go to an ANC election rally in one of the squatter camps next time an election is due. The councillors will be dishing out cooking oil, sugar and promises using taxpayers money in the name of poverty alleviation to buy votes and the ignorant voters will buy the empty promises. There are many more Mendes and Marais out there taking advantage of the anti social elements populating the ANC led government. The ANC of the Mandela era is long dead.
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Jan 20, 2012

pizozo

I wonder how it feels to leave in a four-roomed RDP house worth R16million
*thinking*
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Jan 20, 2012

Sugaar

pizozo
I wonder how it feels to leave in a four-roomed RDP house worth R16million
*thinking*
_________________________________________________________________
It means the market value of the house is R16m,she can still sell it with that amout and get commision.
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Jan 20, 2012

Mdala

It's a shame, disgrace, incompetency, and most of all is CORRUPTION.
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Jan 20, 2012

lucy1990

so wer is the money?
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Jan 20, 2012

imd

LOL pin pointing other provinces with corruption its the whole of f@cked up mzantsi................
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Jan 20, 2012

Keafixa

something that i don't understand, y was the money paid if there was houses build...wat were they submitting to get the payments.
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Jan 20, 2012

Kgaoza606

Tender system is just a pure failure used by incompetent and uskilled politicians and their friends to enrich themselves. This not only happens in Mpumalanga or Limpopo, is happening everywhere in the country...
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Jan 20, 2012

Knan

The most expensive low-cost house ever to be built in Mzantsi, so if the directors are arrested then the work stops. What about the rest of the money, how will it be recovered?
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Jan 20, 2012

BaleliM

So the tender went to a relative who split the money with the rest... well that is my assumption. where did the money go and where is the Govt in all this after announcing and promising people that they will be housed in 5yrs time.

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