In 1999, Mayden Farm shack dwellers in Mthatha were given RDP houses. But, says community leader Qaqamba Hlupheka, their new homes were of very poor quality – the plaster was cracking, roofs were leaking and some walls had holes through them.

Only in 2017 did the Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements award a tender to Cross Border Development Consultants to rectify all 969 houses. According to Hlupheka, this was meant to be a three-year contract.

However, the company has still not completed the work. Of the 969 houses, more than 100 had to be demolished.

When the project started, people moved to temporary tin houses nearby, but most residents have since returned to their badly built homes.

“Last year they (the contractors) only worked from October to December. They came back in January, only to work for a few weeks,” says Hlupheka.

Cross Border rebuilt about 100 houses before it completely abandoned the site in March 2023.

Residents say out of these, only 30 were decently built. Most households had once again been given substandard houses.

The company is now in liquidation.

Nosizwe Njici shows the shoddy construction of her home. (Photo: Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik)

Hlupheka said they went to the Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements’ office in Mthatha in June.

“We spoke with the regional director. He was very shocked when we told him that the contractor had left the site. He told us that as far as he knows the contractor is still on site working,” said Hlupheka

She found it strange that the regional director was surprised as he was the person responsible for the project. The director and another official promised to investigate the matter.

According to residents, when the regional director failed to turn up for a report-back meeting in September, the community began to protest.

Hlupheka received her rebuilt house (one of the 100) in December 2019.

“What they used to do was when they left in December, they would give beneficiaries house keys. Then, when we complained about the leakages and broken doors, they promised to fix them when they returned the following year. But that never happened,” said Hlupheka.

Community leader Buyiswa Sibali said: “There were two officials from the department that were part of this project, but they kept quiet while things were going bad. Now we are hearing that the contractor claimed R24-million in 2020 for houses they did not build. I blame the department for this mess.”

Sibali said Cross Border also had a subcontractor, who in turn subcontracted.

“In between, there were other subcontractors and some left crying, saying that they were not paid,” she said.

“Our government is failing us… imagine twice being given a house with cracks.”

Resident Nosizwe Njici (67) lives in her original house.

“When it rains, water comes inside the house. The roof moves when it is windy. My fear is that this house will fall down any day, and this is the only house I have,” said Njici.

Eastern Cape Hawks spokesperson Yolisa Mgolodela confirmed the Hawks would investigate, but had only just received the docket.

Attorney for the liquidators of Cross Border Development Consultants, Derek Schickerling, said he would respond to our questions once he spoke with the client. He has since stopped taking our calls.

Community leader Buyiswa Sibali outside Nosizwe Njici’s RDP house. (Photo: Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik)

GroundUp has been trying since September to get a response from the Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlement’s spokespersons, Phiwokuhle Soga and Siyabonga Mdodi. They have stopped taking our calls although WhatsApp messages have been received. DM

First published by GroundUp.