Public Protector Adv Thuli Madonsela has asked the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements to request the Department of Human settlements and other relevant role players to brief Parliament on progress made in addressing RDP concerns where there is consensus that there are problems. The Public Protector said while briefing the Portfolio Committee on preliminary observations and progress made by her team in the RDP systemic investigation she is currently conducting.
She told the Committee that complaints relating to alleged maladministration in the delivery of RDP housing are categorised under planning, procurement and post allocation. Her systemic investigation focused on the following specific areas:
- Planning inadequacies
- Procurement irregularities (including corruption and fraud) leading to defective houses among many inadequacies
- Allocation irregularities and
- Post allocation challenges such as missing title deeds and illegal sale of RDP houses.
On progress made, the Public Protector indicated that her team has been using early resolution measures to resolve individual complaints while the systemic investigation is ongoing.
The Committee members welcomed the investigation and agreed with the general observations, including policy considerations in terms of Prioritisation of allocations, risk management, compliance with Section 26 of the Constitution, infrastructure challenges in response to rapid urbanisation and informal settlements as well as standardization of sizes of RDP houses. Clarification of the role of the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) was also covered.
The Public Protector also called on Parliament to note the need for a uniform approach regarding accountability of wrongdoers such as staff, professionals, public office bearers and contractors in cases where payment has been made for work not done or poorly executed and urgently address policy or regulatory gaps.
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