Dlamini was reacting to the department of Human Settlement’s lack of delivery in hostels in Gauteng, ahead of this week’s departmental annual reports debate.
The bone of contention stem from the fact that out of 31 300 housing units that were supposed to be completed in the province, only 16 000 was achieved; lack of water sewerage and electricity in some of the hostels; filthy toilets-some blocked; broken windows, etc.
“This year, as with the previous years, most of the targets remain unmet while the budget also remains underspent. Out of 31 300 housing units that were supposed to be completed in the province, only 16 000 was achieved.
Out of 4327 planned completed houses for upgrading of informal settlements, the Department managed to complete 2196. There are many more such illustrations that could be cited but what is paramount is to highlight the need to change the way things have been done in the past because those strategies are failing,” says irate Dhlamini.
“In the 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 annual reports the department reports that regular maintenance is done at the hostels and Jeppe Men’s hostel is one of the hostels that is reportedly maintained and kept.
However, a site visit to this hostel tells a different narrative.
“In the 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 annual reports the department reports that regular maintenance is done at the hostels and Jeppe Men’s hostel is one of the hostels that is reportedly maintained and kept. However, a site visit to this hostel tells a different narrative.”
An Induna- ubaba Mvelase, at Jeppe Hostel, pointed out that there’s been a blocked drain resulting in a constant flow of water gushing onto the street and one can only imagine the countless amount of litres lost in this hostel which the Department claims to maintain, he said.
“Compounded to the water leaks are filthy toilets with water literally flooding the toilet floor, broken showers and broken windows.
Some rooms and passages have no electric lights. If this is how hostel conditions are when maintained as reported by the department in it’s the annual report, one wonders if they could be any worse without any maintenance,” he says.
“These inhumane conditions leave one in a state of shock.
They open hostel residents to all kinds of diseases. When it comes to housing there seem to be two Gautengs, the one for the haves and the other for the have nots.
2017 annual reports the department reports that regular maintenance is done at the hostels and Jeppe Men’s hostel is one of the hostels that is reportedly maintained and kept. However, a site visit to this hostel tells a different narrative.
Upon entry, one is greeted by a blocked drain resulting in a constant flow of water gushing onto the street.
Mr Mvelase, an Induna in the hostel indicated that the problem has been ongoing for over a year. One can only imagine the countless amount of litres lost in this hostel which the Department claims to maintain,” said Dhlamini.
“Compounded to the water leaks are filthy toilets with water literally flooding the toilet floor, broken showers and broken windows.
