State capture report part 4

State capture report: Free State’s R1bn housing project was ‘dismal failure’

Amanda Khoza Presidency reporter
Former head of the human Settlements department, Mpho Gift Mokoena, testified at the state capture inquiry about the R1bn Free State housing project. File photo.
Former head of the human Settlements department, Mpho Gift Mokoena, testified at the state capture inquiry about the R1bn Free State housing project. File photo.
Image: Gallo Images/Sharon Seretlo

The manner in which the Free State provincial government, through the department of human settlements, handled its R1bn housing project was a “dismal failure.”

The money was meant to build thousands of low cost houses. However, the houses were never built.

This is contained in part 4 of the state capture inquiry report released on Friday morning.

“After the investigation and hearing of evidence, it has become crystal clear this project was a debacle, hence the title of this chapter, The Free State R1bn Housing Project Debacle, because of the manner in which the Free State provincial government, through its department of human settlements, handled the project. It was a dismal failure: a debacle,” reads the report by chief justice and state capture inquiry chairperson Raymond Zondo.

A total of R1.3bn was allocated for the construction of housing units to address the backlog of 200,000 houses.

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