KwaZulu-Natal government has had to explain an embarrassing housing project which has seen scores of families stranded after their houses were stripped off asbestos roofing replaced with chromadek roof sheeting.
The refurbishment project at Gamalakhe Township in Portshepstone for 273 housing is costing the government R35 million.
The 80-year-old Ntombilezi Khwela has lived in Gamalakhe for 22 years. Her house was stripped off asbestos roof and was allegedly promised the replacement would be completed in weeks.
A month has passed. Kwela and other affected families had to find alternative accommodation at their own cost.
“I had nowhere to stay. my neighbour who took me in with some of my belongings and kept them. but the truckloads of my furniture was kept at a storage facility. they told us to return back once they are done. But what concerns me most is that I don’t know when are they going to complete their refurbishments.
Twenty houses were set to be refurbished per month. But this is not happening. Affected families say they are left in the lurch and fear the work will not be completed by Christmas.
“There’s no one who is coming to us to explain as to what’s happening. Are they continuing with renovation or not? So we are a little bit worried, not a little bit but we are deeply worried. I can’t explain it.”
The provincial department of Human Settlement has acknowledged the delays. In a statement, it says the delays were caused by a subcontractor who stopped work due to non-payment by the main contractor.
The department says this has since been sorted out and the project is now back on track.
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