Note to Editors: Please find attached English soundbite by Cllr Ntombi Mokoena, Afrikaans soundbite by Cllr Doreen Wessels, and Sesotho soundbite by Cllr Diphapang Mofokeng.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls for the revival and proper completion of the Thembalihle Extension 4 RDP housing project in Vrede. We will call for urgent provincial intervention to review the contractor’s performance, implement a clear recovery plan with revised timelines, and ensure that those responsible for the project’s stagnation and poor workmanship are held fully accountable.
The issue of protracted delays and poor performance at the Thembalihle Extension 8 RDP project in Vrede is not new. We have previously raised this matter with the Minister of Human Settlements during the 2022/2023 period, highlighting the sector’s difficulties in the Free State and the unacceptable conditions faced by prospective beneficiaries who were initially promised these small sites and structures.
A recent oversight inspection conducted by the DA confirmed the project’s severe stagnation, noting that the vast majority of structures remain at the foundational stage, with no substantive work completed for over a year.
This complete lack of improvement in the structures over such a long period is profoundly worrying for the beneficiaries.
Furthermore, the oversight visit validated existing concerns about the quality of the work, confirming incidents of shoddy workmanship that previously necessitated the contractor’s demolition of one structure following complaints from residents.
Given the complete lack of progress and repeated quality issues, the DA now formally demands answers regarding the project’s feasibility, asking whether it is genuinely possible to complete these units under the current management structure and what critical factor is currently holding the entire project at a standstill.