Eluxolweni residents are fuming with anger after builders left their RDP houses unfinished and with glaring defects.
The residents said the contractor told them their houses are complete despite some not having any windows, doors or frames.
Eluxolweni residents are fuming with anger after builders left their RDP houses unfinished and with glaring defects.
The residents said the contractor told them their houses are complete despite some not having any windows, doors or frames.
While most houses have functional bathrooms, a small section of the area does not have this service and the blocked toilets are stinking up the area.
Ukwenama Building Contractors (UBC) confirmed they have been aware of the problems and that they are busy fixing them.
UBC management said that while there had been delays “things will pick up as soon as possible”.Site manager Brian Owen attributed the delay to theft of building supplies and negligence on the part of the residents.
“If I fix something today it’s broken the next day, the community needs to understand it’s their property and they need to look after it for their own good,” he added. He said the municipality has inspected
20 houses of which 19 passed the inspection.
“We have to rebuild the walls of the one house,” Owen explained, “and we are attending to roof leaks.” However, over 160 new RDP houses were built in the area recently and residents say they are almost uninhabitable.
Boyce Nelani took Grocott’s Mail to a house in his street which he said was declared complete by the contractor.
He said the house had initially been locked but was later “mysteriously” unlocked. Inside the house the toilet had been removed from the bathroom, from which eminated an unbearable stench.
The pipes are fitted but there is no water running from them. Nelani says that the lack of running water is a source of major inconvenience for the household as there are only two taps which supply the whole area with water.
Despite paying R240 to Eskom last year for relocating an electric pole which was blocking the construction of an RDP house on his stand, Nelani said he has received no indication when his RDP house will be built.
Area committee leader Mzukisi Mdiza says the majority of the newly installed toilets are functional so the cause of the stench is from the houses where sanitation is dysfunctional.
The windows of Mdiza’s house cannot close properly and his locks are not working. Mdiza said the residents are complaining that their houses ware never inspected at any stage of construction.
“When it rains, water leaks through the floors and walls leaving some houses damp, some roofs also leak,” he added.
A common problem with the houses is that locks are only fitted on main doors while the interleading doors have none.
Mdiza accused Ward 8 councillor Nomazwi Fuku of sidelining the majority of the residents when she calls meetings.
“The [Eluxolweni] area committee is not respected, and we only see events and activities taking place without our knowledge,” said Mdiza.
Some houses which were announced as complete by the contractor are missing windows, doors and frames.
“The municipality only listens to its officials and councillors and we, residents, are ignored completely when we report these defects,” he said.
Meanwhile, Owen admitted that the leaking foundations weren’t sealed properly but he is not aware of cracked foundations.
“I’m aware of houses whose foundations have not been laid properly and these would be fixed by doing a topping [sealant],” he added.
He blamed the stench emanating from the houses on the municipality arguing that the municipality does not turn the water on so that the plumbing can be checked.
“We’ve asked the municipality to turn the water on so that we can be able to detect leaks.” He said that initially the company had until the end of March to do its job but will continue until the middle of next month.
Fuku confirmed the defects but said they were being fixed following an inspection which was carried out by the municipality this month.
“Some houses were even approved and I’ll be issuing their occupants with happy letters next week for them to sign,” she added.
The houses are occupied but have not been formally handed over. Makana spokesperson Thandy Matebese
did not respond to questions put to him by Grocott’s Mail but said the municipality wrote to the provincial housing department about the defects in February.
