Direetsane, North West – Nearly seven years after construction began on a R69 million Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) housing project in Direetsane near Kopela, hundreds of families remain without homes after the contractor abandoned the site citing financial constraints.
The stalled project, which was meant to deliver approximately 700 housing units, has left beneficiaries waiting for six years. Some recipients have reportedly passed away before receiving their homes, while those still waiting watch as incomplete structures slowly crumble due to vandalism and weather exposure. Community members have also expressed concerns about the abandoned site attracting criminal activity.
EFF North West spokesperson Fanon Moema identified poor contractor management, funding challenges, and lack of government oversight as key factors contributing to project delays.
“So long as the state doesn’t develop internal capacity to construct houses or be involved in service delivery through internal capacity, we will never have anything moving in the right direction,” Moema said. He argued that outsourced service providers operate with impunity, receive payment without delivering services, and rarely face blacklisting or prosecution.
Moema further called for the recovery of public funds from non-performing contractors and urged law enforcement action against those who fail to deliver services after receiving payment. “There must be consequences; those who must face prosecution must face prosecution,” he stated.
The South African Human Rights Commission previously issued a 2024 deadline for the North West government to ensure residents receive housing. The Commission’s report also indicated that the North West Treasury was complicit in the project’s failure.
The provincial human settlements department has since revised delivery schedules, stating that site reestablishment would occur by the end of April, with 50 units to be delivered by May, 57 by June, and 40 by July to complete the project. The department said it is “working around the clock” and exploring all avenues regarding the contractor’s breach of contract.
Moema, however, remained skeptical, noting that this marks the second time deadlines have been set after two previous contractors—Mero and Beyond Build—failed to complete their work without government recovering any funds.
He also pointed to a broader systemic issue: “The government of the day has no political will to ensure they build internal capacity because when they go the route of tendering, they are also beneficiaries in the tendering system.”