The Democratic Alliance has requested a forensic audit in to the affairs of the Delta Housing project phase 2 & 3 (Abhalali Housing) in Algoa Park, Port Elizabeth.
Having conducted an inspection at this scheme in August, irate residents complained about alleged irregularities in this project.
During my visit and interacting with the community, I found many units with inside ceilings black from damp spores, causing a health hazard to the occupants.
The inconvenience, suffering and loss of furniture due to damp and leaks (previously rectified) is a trauma these residents should have to live without.
Leaking roofs, cracked walls and reoccurring damp on units that have previously been rectified were the order of the day.
A petition sent to the Legislature as suggested by myself to the residents was sent in August but remains uncollected at the courier office.
This omission shows the lack of care and interest to aggrieved communities.
I will be raising this matter at the next portfolio committee meeting for housing at the end of the month.
This rent-to-buy-scheme involving in excess of 500 units was aimed at the lower income market.
The allegations that in 2009 government allocated R37 700 per unit for rectification repairs, yet the estimated cost of each repair was only R10 000 per unit, is a serious matter.
What has happened to the balance, of R27 000, rectification money per unit?
A major concern is that since the rectification was done, these units are in a worse state than before.
Some units have been rectified more that twice over and remain in an uninhabitable state.
Further allegations include unfulfilled promises that after fice years of occupancy tenants would be able to purchase their units.
The alleged selling of houses without title deeds and the alleged rectification of bank financed properties using government money is a serious concern.
This community needs to be compensated by the province for this debacle and the residents given the opportunity and choice to engage their own contractors or make their own plans to adequately repair their homes.
By so doing these folk can enjoy value for money repairs and have the peace of mind that their individual choice of contractor will allow that at last the repairs that should have been done correctly in the first place will now take effect.
i am one of the residents stay in the delta (abahali housing projects algoa park pe)and can say with my understanding that the community has been missled with promises for the pass nine years.i can say to the readers that what mr haddon is saying is true. we the cummunity sent the patition to bisho registered mail with tracking number etc.yet when we traced it , it was still in bishos post office.and now something new has come up,is that you must go through trevalga properties if you want to rent a house in delta (ABAHALI HOUSING PROJECT)that is vacant,and (BROWN,BRAUDE&VLOK INC)attornies to buy a house hear,weather you a (rent to own )home owner witout a title deed i can sell an profit.all they do is decuted whats theres andpay you out the balance.and as well aspeople who are renting out there houses.this all indicate to me that if you can sell or sublet your house you do not need a roof over your head as there is many,to much peole in need of roof over there head that are sleeping in shacks at this present moment.
i am still wiating on the reply from the outcome of the meetings that wa held in regaurds to the abahali housing project, which was held in bisho, as well as the progress of the patition that was sent to bisho as the whole story has gone quite since then. so i appeal to MR HADDON OF THE D.A PART. to please let me know how far this progress has gone. thanks