Residents call for housing probe
BUFFALO City Metro residents have called for probes into corruption allegations against officials and ward councillors in connection with multimillionhousing projects.
The disgruntled residents from Ward 13 – which includes Biko Village, Thembalethu, Dice and Moses Mabida Squatter Camp – yesterday marched in protest against corruption.
The marchers were led by the South African Communist Party (SACP).
The residents claimed that beneficiary lists for RDP houses were manipulated and that RDP houses were illegally being sold “by the BCM administration”.
Some of the RDP houses built by the metro were reportedly falling apart.
The group of about 100 people including SACP provincial secretary Xolile Nqatha and regional leaders, marched from Chicken Farm to the Chicken Farm grounds where the memorandum of demands was handed over to representatives from BCM, Eastern Cape department of health, education and the police.
Former BCM ward councillor and human settlement portfolio head Nomiki Mgezi took part in the march.
The residents said they demanded an end to illegal eviction of rightful owners of the newly built houses; electrification of RDP houses; and the rectification of poorly built houses in New Life, Reeston and Chicken Farm.
They also want BCM to launch an investigation into alleged corruption in housing and the involvement of metro officials and the ward councillors.
The residents demanded that government build schools for the Chicken Farm, New Life areas. They also want clinics to be built in the area or the provision of mobile clinics while construction of the facility was on the go. A satellite police station was also demanded for Ward 13.
The residents demanded a response within seven days.
BCM mayoral spokesman Ayabulela Ngoqo said the metro’s new rapid response task team would investigate the allegations immediately, and would “come back to them as soon as possible”. —