While close to 600 000 people are still waiting for housing opportunities in the Western Cape, at least 11 projects across the province have been delayed, some by up to four years.
A written response to the EFF Member of the Provincial Legislature Provincial Aishah Cassiem, showed that 356 524 people in the Cape Metro were on the housing waiting list, while 243 331 others remained on the list across the province.
Residents who were to be allocated housing units in the R234 million Silvertown development, which was original due for completion in January this year, will now have to wait another three years.
The department said the appointed contractors on the Silvertown project included Smart Civils, Gamont, Power Smart and Uyapo Engineering.
The development was expected to yield 771 units.
However, R102m – almost half – of the contract value has already been paid to the above contractors "for work completed thus far, including alternative building technology material" for top structures.
According to MEC of Infrastructure, Tertius Simmers, the Silvertown project was delayed as the land availability agreement with the City had not been approved, nor have the building plans.
"The land is owned by the City of Cape Town and they required the department to purchase the land, instead of the transfer of land between the two spheres of government. The negotiations, however, took longer than expected and eventually reached a deadlock.
“As an alternate approach, the department then sought to conclude a land availability agreement, which will permit construction of the development. This process has not been finalised and no agreement is in place as yet,” he said.
The department also said the approval of building plans depended on the land availability agreement or land ownership to be resolved.
"In the absence of a land availability agreement, the municipality cannot consider building plans and neither can the department allow for construction to commence without approved building plans. The City and the department are currently in the process of attending to the land availability agreement.“
However, no date has been set yet as to when an agreement on the approvals would be reached.
In Grabouw, delays to at least three projects were either due to poor contractor performance, project funding disputes or community challenges.
One of the projects was scheduled to be completed in October 2021 and the department said it was now in the process of terminating the existing contract.
Another project which was also scheduled for completion in April 2021 was now expected to be finished by March 2026.
"Delays largely impact our communities and mean that qualifying and deserving beneficiaries have to wait longer to receive their homes,“ said the department.
The department had recently come in for some flack for continuing to do business with a construction company previously flagged over suspected links to the 28s gang.
The director of Glomix House Brokers, Nicole Johnson, is reportedly married to an alleged gang boss, Ralph Stanfied.
"The department's professional relationship with Glomix has only been limited to the Valhalla Park housing project.
"Glomix was awarded a contract by the department in 2019 as one of the service providers appointed on the project. The department may not exclude prospective bidders from contractor opportunities based on allegations of criminal connections.
“The directors of Glomix have not been found guilty of any criminal activity; hence their bid had to be considered in line with supply chain management prescripts," said the department.
The department, together with local municipalities, is estimated to deliver around 10 000 housing opportunities by the end of this month.
Weekend Argus