SACP Gauteng Provincial Executive Committee
SACP GAUTENG calls for an urgent investigation into alleged housing corruption in the City of Tshwane
SACP Gauteng has noted recent media reports about alleged acts of corruption on a housing project in which at least R85 million was paid for shoddy and poor quality work in the City of Tshwane and that this also involves the Gauteng Department of Housing. It is also alleged that the housing project after its completion dismally failed to get a certificate of full compliance with construction requirements (see Pretoria News report).
SACP further noted that the housing units that were initially intended to benefit the working class and poor people that were living in hostels may potentially be allocated to non-hostel dwellers. This clear manipulation of the waiting list has and as reported, the unfortunate consequence of potential violence and setting up of the working class and the poor against each other.
SACP's overall analysis and assessment of this latest housing scam in the City of Tshwane is a reflection of a deep rooted and historic corrupt culture and morality of monopoly capital that is becoming a daily experience of the working class and poor in many parts of the province.
Based on our practical experience from direct interaction with many working class communities in the province, it is clear that corruption within housing service delivery is so widespread as it involves land allocation for residential and business purposes, tenders for housing construction and the pricing structure for such tenders, manipulation of waiting lists and the resale of such houses in most cases by occupants that were allocated through corrupt practices and perhaps did not need them in the first place.
The SACP informed and guided by the commitment of the broader democratic movement and ANC led Alliance strongly condemns acts of corruption in housing in the province and calls on law enforcement agencies to move swiftly on the matter.
The SACP firmly believes that following the recent wave of violent service delivery protests and radical expressions made by the working class in many parts of the province on the housing question, organs of the democratic state and revolutionary forces should act decisively on the matter.
In line with the outcomes of our PEC Lekgotla held early this year in January, the SACP will engage its Alliance partners to convene an urgent Alliance Summit on Land and Housing Question in the province.
SACP will also as part of the planned protest action to the Department of Human Settlement on the long outstanding Lenasia housing question planned for the 10th May 2013, include in the list of demands, the call for organs of the developmental state to defend and consolidate the gains of the National Democratic Revolution in the last 18 years on housing service delivery.
The SACP firmly supports the revolutionary commitment made by organs of the developmental state and the entire working class movement led by the ANC to intensify the fight against corruption whilst fast-tracking housing service delivery. This is critical to ensure that the NDR does not fall in the hands of imperialism, international and local monopoly capital, be it black or white.
Statement issued by Jacob Mamabolo, SACP Gauteng Provincial Secretary, April 29 2013
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