Public Protector tells communities there�s no excuse to
wait for RDP houses
Wednesday, 28 August 2012
Public Protector Adv. Thuli Madonsela has said there�s no
excuse for people to waiting for RDP houses since the
nineties.
She said during public hearings on RDP houses and alleged
illegal conversion of panel vans into taxis. The event was
held in Evaton in the Sedibeng Municipality.
�Maladministration is one of the key thieves stealing the
constitutional dream of a better life for all. To defeat
maladministration and accelerate public service delivery we
must all join hands regardless of whether we are in
government, oversight bodies or civil society,� she said.
She appealed to members of the community not to look the
other way if they see wrong doing as public monies and other
resources are not orphaned and are what we essential need to
deliver the improved quality of life for all promised by the
Constitution.
The Public Protector urged those that had illegally grabbed
RDP houses in response to delayed delivery of houses they
applied for should not take the law into your hands as this
creates enormous planning difficulties.
She further appealed to those in government to develop
action plans to address matters raised during the public
hearings and not wait for an investigation by the Public
Protector.
The key issues raised at the public hearings included that
of people invading RDP houses as a self-remedy for their
delayed applications, long wait for houses particularly
older and disabled persons many of which have been waiting
since as early as 1996.
Double and multiple allocations, withdrawal of allocation
for deceased beneficiaries who live behind indigent
dependents, untraceable allocated houses, defective houses
including structurally defective houses and those
constructed with poor material also came to the fore.
Other complaints related to houses and yards that are too
small, some less than 40 square metres, unfinished RDP
projects, lack of clarity on beneficiary lists and
prioritisation criteria, houses without title deeds and
illegal sale of RDP houses.
Community members also complained about land claims taking
far too long while claimants are being evicted, invasion of
private land for informal settlements allegedly through
encouragement from certain persons from the Municipality,
infrastructural deficit mainly involving roads, electricity
and sanitation, storm water drainage inadequacies and sewage
spillage.
Access to health care was also raised with issues including
operational hours of the local clinic, availability of
professionals and inadequacy of medical supplies with
patients regularly given prescriptions with the view to
purchasing own medicine, police harassment and lack of
welfare services for children.
The plight of low cost housing owners not on the RDP
programme was raised sharply. This spilled over to
irregularities in the foreclosure practises of the Midvaal
Municipality. The Public Protector was further asked to
provide feedback on the Midvaal low cost housing
investigation. Corruption was raised as a major concern
beyond RDP housing procurement and allocations. Documents
were provided on alleged corruption on affected for the
Public Protector to investigate.
The Public Protector will by end of next month issue a
report on the issues people raised and her observations with
a view to give affected municipalities and government
departments opportunity to immediately address urgent issues
while she investigates complex issues. She impressed upon
municipalities to improve communications with the people.
The Public Protector ended up with a call to join hands to
arrest maladministration in all its forms including
corruption and in the process accelerate public service
delivery and restore hope among our people.
The Public Protector will finalise the public hearings in
the Western Cape on Thursday and Friday.
Issued by:
Kgalalelo Masibi
Spokesperson for the Public Protector
Tel: (012) 366 7006
Cell: 079 507 0399
E-mail:
[email protected]
|
