Community demands accountability following report on housing corruption in Phoenix

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

- NADIA KHAN [e-mail]

WHILE community organisations and political parties have welcomed the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) report on maladministration related to housing developments on municipal land in Phoenix, they are demanding swift and decisive action to hold those implicated, accountable.

Mervin Govender, general-secretary of the Phoenix Tenants Residents Association, said the community demanded urgent action, including a criminal investigation.

He said the SIU report had confirmed longstanding allegations of corruption, maladministration and irregularities in the management of housing projects, such the eThekwini Municipality’s Infill Housing Programme (IHP).

“The report exposed how housing opportunities were wrongfully diverted from qualifying beneficiaries through fraudulent allocation of units to ineligible individuals, the bypassing of official housing waiting lists and manipulation of records. It also exposed a conflict of interest and abuse of authority by certain officials and intermediaries like contractors, and the failure to follow proper processes in title deed transfers and beneficiary verification,” he said.

Govender added that the findings validated the concerns raised for years by residents and community organisations, who have persistently called for transparency and justice.

“The community of Phoenix now demands urgent action. We call for the immediate suspension and prosecution of all implicated officials. There should also be a full criminal investigation by the police into the conduct of those identified in the SIU report.

“Furthermore, there needs to be the recovery of wrongfully allocated properties and reallocation to verified rightful beneficiaries, and fast-tracking of title deed transfers to all qualifying long-term occupants.