Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has expressed dissatisfaction over reports surrounding the recent handing over of temporary housing units in Limpopo.
Sisulu said Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha should not have been invited to hand over the units in Tzaneen without the provincial Human Settlements team first ensuring that the units were of acceptable quality. Pictures of the units, made of tin, have been widely circulated on social media.
“Quality checks must be done during and after projects are undertaken to ensure that they meet acceptable standards, in line with the Housing Code,” Sisulu said.
The Minister said she is eagerly awaiting the outcome of the review of the Talana Project to determine whether it was compliant with the building industry standards.
She said the review is being done by the National Home Builders Registration Council, an agency of the department that oversees quality assurance of all human settlements projects.
The report is expected to be presented to the Minister within 14 days.
“Once the review is done, I will brief Cabinet on the outcome and inform the people of South Africa, as they are our main beneficiaries, who we are here to serve. I do not wish to be associated with unbecoming conduct or have my name mentioned alongside suspicions of corruption,” said Sisulu.
The department has also confirmed that the programme in Limpopo is part of a long-standing Human Settlements programme of informal settlements upgrade, accelerated as part of efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19 by ensuring people do not live in overcrowded places. – SAnews.gov.za
