Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Richard van Wyk and Sesotho soundbite by Jafta Mokoena MPL. See attached pictures here, here and here.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Kopanong will urgently intervene in the stalled Edenhoogte housing project by demanding full accountability from the Department of Human Settlements and the Kopanong Local Municipality, and by formally requesting a clear, binding timeline for the completion of the promised RDP houses.
The DA will further exercise its oversight role by submitting formal questions and escalating the matter through council and provincial structures to ensure residents finally receive the homes they were promised.
In November 2025, the Department of Human Settlements began demolishing old two-room RDP houses in Edenhoogte, which were lawfully owned and occupied by residents within the Kopanong Local Municipality. These demolitions were undertaken after residents were assured that newly built RDP houses would be completed by mid-December 2025. Acting in good faith, families vacated their homes on the understanding that the process would lead to improved and permanent housing.
Instead, residents were forced to spend the 2025 festive season in temporary shack structures provided by the Department. To date, there has been no meaningful progress on the construction of the promised homes. The continued delays have left families exposed to harsh weather conditions, safety risks and prolonged uncertainty, directly undermining their dignity and well-being.
In early December 2025, the appointed contractor reported that construction delays were due to outstanding matters between the Department of Human Settlements and the Kopanong Local Municipality’s town-planning department. This admission points to a severe failure of planning and coordination between government entities.
The direct consequence of this failure is that vulnerable residents are paying the price for administrative inefficiency, having lost permanent shelter without any clear indication of when rebuilding will commence.
It is entirely unacceptable that people’s homes are demolished before all housing plans and municipal approvals are finalised. Such negligence reflects poor governance and a disregard for the real-life consequences faced by communities.
When planning processes are ignored or mishandled, the result is not merely a delayed project, but families left homeless, increased health and safety risks, and growing mistrust in government institutions.
We will continue to actively monitor and follow up on this project until it is completed. We will push for immediate remedial action, proper intergovernmental coordination and transparent communication with affected residents.
Our objective is to ensure that the people of Edenhoogte ultimately benefit from housing projects intended to improve their living conditions, rather than being subjected to avoidable hardship due to government failure.