Eluxolweni residents have been accusing the head of Makana Housing, Kaizer Nxamleko of being involved in illegal selling RDP houses.
Eluxolweni residents have been accusing the head of Makana Housing, Kaizer Nxamleko of being involved in illegal selling RDP houses.
Makana Mayor Vumile Lwana took time out of his busy schedule to listen to the grievances of Eluxolweni residents regarding the ongoing housing development in the area. The residents accused Nxamleko of corruption and incompetency at a meeting with the Makana council in a densely packed Albany Resource and Development Agency (Arda) Centre last week.
Makana councillor Ntsikelelo Stamper, who is a mayoral committee member, told the residents that the mayoral committee and the council will know how to proceed after listening to their grievances. The newly-established Eluxolweni area committee told the meeting that it has proof that Nxamleko had been conspiring with certain residents to illegally sell RDP houses.
The committee chairperson Mzuvukile Sonanze explained to the meeting how a resident known in their community confessed to being in cahoots with Nxamleko in illegal sales of RDP houses. Other residents accused Nxamleko of being downright rude when they visit his offices in Joza. "Sometimes you go there and get told he’s off sick with flu but you would still see him outside the office," said Boyce Nelani.
Nelani added that unknown vans have been seen arriving and being loaded with bricks meant for RDP houses. They alerted the police who only arrived after the bakkies had left already. "Delivery trucks bringing bricks into our area get redirected to Joza and Fingo," he said.
Attending the meeting were members of the local police service but they did not participate in the discussion. A resident complained that his RDP house is built above an underground waterpipe and that when he alerted them the builders did not take his warnings seriously and went ahead with the construction.
Lwana encouraged the residents to speak out against corruption and incompetency. Other residents complained about shoddy workmanship on the part of builders and questioned: "Why is the government dumping these houses on us?"
In an email to Makana Manager Ntombi Baart said the purpose of the meeting was to encourage residents with allegations to come forward and submit affidavits so as to determine their validity. "Such affidavits will be collated in my office for submission to the Anti-Corruption Unit of the Provincial Department of Housing which will lead the investigations", she explained."The municipality will be releasing a press statement notifying the public of this step."
