Call for probe into housing allocation

RESIDENTS of Phumlani Village informal settlement have called for an independent investigation into corruption allegations in the allocation of houses in the New Horizon development in Pelican Park.

Community leaders from the area met with delegates from the City and officials from various departments at the Lotus River sub-council offices on Friday and tabled a list of demands following last week’s service delivery protest.

More than 200 residents clashed with those from New Horizon development over houses the residents from the informal settlement believed were allocated irregularly. A petrol station was torched.

Phumlani Civic Association chairperson Peter Mgutyana said their community members were tired of waiting for officials to address the matter and demanded action.

“We still live in horrible conditions and some of our residents have been waiting for more than 20 years for homes, while other people are benefiting from corruption,” said Mgutyana.

He said the association brought up the matter of questionable allocations back in 2014 with the City and then the ward councillor in 2016, but it was never investigated.

Pumlani community leader Sidwell Kweba said the ward councillor had no other choice but to step down.

“Protesting was our only way to draw attention to our housing and service delivery needs because we feel abandoned by our ward councillor and this City.

“We have been asking why people on the waiting list for less than six years could receive housing, while within our community there were people waiting for almost 20 years,” said Kweba.

City sub-council chairperson Shanen Rossouw said: “The City’s project manager for the Pelican Park housing development is conducting the investigation into allegations around the allocation of houses in the Breaking New Ground housing project.

“The community will be informed of the outcome once the investigation has been concluded,”

Mayco member for Area South Eddie Andrews said beneficiaries for the City’s developments were chosen in accordance with its allocation policy and housing database.

He said nine beneficiaries from Phumlani had approved subsidies and received their houses, with 60% of the beneficiaries for the Pelican Park development coming from within ward 18 and 40% from other areas.