The DA in eThekwini conducted an oversight inspection at the Bridge City Housing Development in KwaMashu (view images here, here and here).
The oversight follows unsuccessful attempts by the DA to get answers over the R200 million project that was supposed to be completed in December 2022.
It was approved in 2019, set to begin in 2020 and be completed in December 2022.
Almost five years later, the project is seemingly not even 50% complete.
After months of the project being abandoned and no workers on site, it would seem they are in no rush to finish the development as there was with just over 20 workers that were on site when we visited.
Some of the equipment is piling up and gathering rust at the site and employees have not been paid for months.
The DA will therefore submit a request to the Municipal Speaker, Councillor Thabani Nyawose under the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (PAIA) to obtain information on what is/are the cause/s of the delays.
It has become a norm for development projects to be delayed by officials and politicians who are looking to line their own pockets.
At the receiving end are ratepayers who need housing.
We will also, through our colleagues at the Provincial Legislature call for the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Human Settlements to intervene to ensure that this development is completed speedily.