Housing provision to continue as probe is underway on irregular tender awards

mafikeng - the construction of houses in the north west will continue while a forensic probe into a construction company about tender processes is underway, housing mec phenye vilakazi said on tuesday.

mr vilakazi was addressing the provincial legislature about issues surrounging toro ya africa that is under a forensic investigation to determine whether or not it had received tenders irregularly.

"we cannot fail our people by stopping the process of building of houses for them. while we all await the outcome of the forensic investigation let nothing stop us from delivering. we have a mandate and we should not sacrifice it," said mr vilakazi.

with some members of the legislature calling for the company to stop work in this regard, the mec said the primary mandate of the department should not be sacrificed as it would constitute a failure to deliver to the people.

the matlosana municipality has instituted the probe on suspicions of irregularities in the appointment of toro ya africa to build low cost houses in the klerksdorp area.

the disproportionately large size of the projects awarded to the company has led to questions being raised by members of the provincial legislature.

toro ya africa together with kosh contractors and let's trade construction companies were appointed to build about 5 000 units in the informal settlements of jouberton, kanana and khuma outside klerksdorp.

the company was allocated a share of 1 753 units in jouberton and another 2 599 in kanana. these projects were worth more than r103 million.

the other two companies were awarded 332 and 316 units respectively to the value of just over r15 million.

in a fact-finding mission last week, the portfolio committee on local government and housing visited the municipality to enquire about the allegations.

chairperson mahlakeng mahlakeng said they "did not necessarily think there had been anything irregular, but the disproportionately large size of the projects awarded to toro ya africa in matlosana caused us to raise our eyebrows".

the results of the forensic investigation are due next month.

mr vilakazi said of the 63 housing projects currently on underway around the province, only four were contracted to toro ya afrika.

"i am amazed that we are sitting here discussing issues relating to a company that has only been awarded only four house projects from a total of 63," said mr vilakazi.

toro ya afrika has already completed 40 houses of the 2000 house units in various villages in taung following floods earlier this year.

mr vilakazi said the head of his department, igbal motala, decided to award the tender to the company because of the emergency to provide shelter to the flood victims.

this had also been done considering toro ya africa's capacity to deliver quickly, he said.

toro ya africa has welcomed the move by the portfolio committee.

"we have complied with requirements and we are pretty confident that the committee will find that we have done a good job," said chairperson solly letsatsi.