Metro to finish derelict housing project

The Ekurhuleni housing project which stalled two years ago due to financial constraints and contractors' poor performance looks set to continue, with the city now committing to constructing a further 275 units by the end of June.

The Alliance housing project was announced in 2020 and was meant to build 1,639 houses for families in the Lindelani informal settlement.  The families were moved from an informal settlement in Apex to Lindelani, to make way for an industrial development over 20 years ago.  

City spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said so far 567 houses have been allocated to beneficiaries and a further R120m was still required to complete the project.

"This will ensure that all 1,639 housing units are complete and allocated to the qualifying recipients. The contractors are taking forward [the] scope of works from wall plates to completion as foundations were already constructed by the previous contractors," he said.  

A joint venture between corruption-accused businessman Edwin Sodi's NJR projects and KMSD-Seedi was initially appointed to work on the project, but according to the city, the contract was terminated due to poor performance. Dlamini said NJR was paid for work done, which was mostly foundations and wall plates.

"The city does not have a case against NJR as the work they conducted was duly paid for by the city," he said.

On Tuesday, Sowetan visited residents of Lindelani, some of whom were still holding on to letters they obtained in 2001 promising them houses.

Calvin Ngejane, 56, lives with his four children and a grandchild in a shack. "When they were moving us here in 2001, they had put in pins to differentiate the stands and then they moved us in slowly and we were promised that this would be temporary, but everything ended up in the air and we’ve been here ever since," he said.

Gertrude Masando, 41, said she had been living in the informal settlement since 2002 and was running a crèche from her home. "It’s hard because they [city officials] have been taking their time and not progressing with the houses and we are here watching them from across the river. I want to go to my own home, no one wants to live in a shack,” she said. 

Sowetan visited some of the houses that were vandalised – with windowpanes, ceiling panels, bathtubs and toilets stolen. Some of the houses were still in the foundation phase, while others were completed except for the roofs. 

Community leader Emmanuel Mphahlele said they asked the municipality to move into the incomplete houses, adding that they were willing to buy doors and other things to complete them. "...they [municipality] said 'no' and they [houses] ended up being vandalised, it’s not fair for the people who have been waiting for years. We just want them to do the right thing and complete these homes for the people," he said.  

However, Dlamini said new contractors will be working on site and would be required to "accelerate works to ensure that all 275 units are delivered within this financial year".