NHBRC has ordered the rebuilding of more than 700 RDP houses

RDP housing hiccups - NHBRC has ordered the rebuilding of more than 700 RDP houses

THE National Home Builders’ Registration Council (NHBRC) has ordered the rebuilding of more than 700 RDP houses in Ilinge after an assessment conducted by the council identified defects allegedly due to shoddy work by the building contractors.The council, which is responsible for protecting the interests of housing consumers and regulating the home building industry, was appointed by the provincial Housing Department to look into Ilinge’s RDP houses.A rectification programme was initiated after the council found defects, ranging from loose and/or leaking roofs, doors and windows not properly fitted, visible cracks and poor sanitation, in most of the homes.A new contractor has been entrusted with the rebuilding of the houses as part of the programme. During a recent visit by The Rep to the area, some residents criticized the move as a waste of government funds. Resident and member of the Ilinge housing joint management committee Mangele Mali said over 1 215 RDP houses worth R23 million had initially been constructed as part of a housing project approved in 2001.“Around 399 houses were initially put on the rectification programme by the NHBRC, but it was later discovered that there were more houses which had serious defects, bringing the number to 700. We believe that the problem was the theft of building supplies resulting in contractors resorting to using whatever was left to complete houses.” Fellow committee member Michael Khalipha blamed the situation on Lukhanji municipality and the Housing Department’s failure to provide inspectors to check up on the work.Khalipha claimed this week that the contractor appointed to carry out the rectification programme had allegedly absconded without finishing the project.The Rep was also told by a source that one of the project’s initial contractors was amongst contractors honoured by the department during the Govan Mbeki provincial Housing Awards in Queenstown last year. Lukhanji municipality spokesman Mkhululi Titi confirmed that 700 houses in Ilinge had been found with defects following an investigation on complaints of shoddy work done on RDP housing projects in the Eastern Cape.He said the municipality and the department could not conduct inspections as the contractor had to close for the December holidays.“There were challenges involving the NHBRC and the contractor doing the repairs. We are expecting the company to invite us and the department for inspection of the completed work. We are not able to comment on other issues at this stage,” Titi said.NHBRC rectification programme manager Mohau Tsiki this week described Ilinge as a “unique” situation as most of the houses needed to be demolished and rebuilt while others needed repairs. He said an assessment carried out by the council’s inspectorate had identified that most of the RDP houses were sub-standard. A total of R3,4 million had been set aside for the programme in Ilinge. Provincial Housing spokesman Lwandile Sicwetsha said 96 houses were under construction while 35 were nearing completion. No completed house had passed inspection yet. He said 301 houses were not part of the current rectification process and would be dealt with in the 2009/10 financial year. The final inspection would be conducted by the beneficiaries, department, NHBRC, Lukhanji municipality and the consultants.