DA calls on MEC Maile to provide clarity on the process used to allocate RDP houses at Obed Nkosi in Lesedi

26 August 2020

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng is calling on the Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements, Lebogang Maile to provide clarity with regards to the process used to select beneficiaries for the allocation of the RDP houses at Obed Nkosi in Ratanda, Lesedi Local Municipality.

This follows the allocation of 60 housing units in Obed Nkosi by the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements on 13 August 2020.

The DA has received numerous complaints from the residents who claim that some of the people who were not on the housing units waiting list benefited while the rightful beneficiaries were not allocated any houses. 

 There are allegations that some of the beneficiaries who are on the allocation list who received houses are not on the housing unit waiting list.

These allegations are serious considering the fact that the Gauteng housing unit waiting list is plagued with corruption.

For far too long the DA has been calling on the department to make public the provincial housing waiting list however to date nothing has happened.

Lack of transparency of the Gauteng housing unit waiting list has made the system vulnerable to corruption and manipulation.

It is high time that the department conducts an audit of all the beneficiaries before allocating the houses to ensure that they are the rightful beneficiaries.

 The DA calls on MEC Maile to conduct an audit on people who were allocated the houses to obtain clarity as to whether they are indeed the rightful beneficiaries and if not, who the rightful beneficiaries might be. Should it be found that there are people who were allocated houses, but are not the rightful beneficiaries then these people must be arrested for corruption.

Issued by Mervyn Cirota, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Human Settlements and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), 26 August 2020