Eastern Cape: Cwaru Village RDP Housing Dispute Leaves Storm Victims Homeless

• Six years after a storm destroyed 100 homes in Cwaru village, Eastern Cape, at least 20 victims are still awaiting RDP housing.
• The Raymond Mhlaba disaster housing project aimed to build 345 houses, but only 227 have been completed by 2024, with 58 allocated in November 2022.
• Many registered victims, like Siyeni Zenze, found their names missing from official beneficiary lists, and materials delivered to his property were later removed without explanation.
• Both the Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements and the Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality have failed to explain beneficiary selection or address discrepancies.
• Community leaders report that some non-storm victims received RDP houses, while many affected residents are now in debt trying to rebuild their own homes.

The protracted Cwaru village RDP housing dispute underscores the severe human cost of administrative failures in post-disaster recovery efforts.

Six years after a devastating storm destroyed approximately 100 homes in Cwaru village, located near Middledrift in the Eastern Cape, many residents who lost their properties are still awaiting the promised RDP housing. The Raymond Mhlaba disaster housing project was initiated with the aim of constructing 345 homes for those affected. While 58 individuals did receive RDP houses in November 2022, and by 2024, a total of 227 houses had been completed under the project, at least 20 storm victims report that they remain without permanent shelter.

A significant issue has emerged regarding the beneficiary lists for the Eastern Cape RDP housing allocation. Residents recount registering for new housing with individuals they believed were representatives of the ward councillor shortly after the disaster. However, many later discovered that their names were conspicuously absent from the provincial human settlements department's official list, leading to widespread confusion and frustration among the community. Neither the department nor the Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality has offered a clear explanation for these discrepancies or detailed the process by which beneficiaries were ultimately selected.

The plight of 63-year-old Siyeni Zenze exemplifies these administrative shortcomings. Zenze lost three mud houses in the storm and registered for housing during an assessment conducted by municipal officials. When the Raymond Mhlaba disaster housing project commenced in 2022, building materials were delivered to his property, raising his hopes for a new home. However, the house was never constructed, and in early 2023, the contractor returned to remove the materials, relocating them to another site without providing Zenze with any explanation beyond a vague assurance that "the contractor was still continuing with the work."

The lack of transparency surrounding the Cwaru village RDP housing dispute has raised serious concerns about potential maladministration within the Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements and the Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality. Despite repeated inquiries, officials have failed to clarify critical aspects of the housing allocation process. The human settlements spokesperson, Yanga Funani, confirmed that Zenze's name was not on the department's verification list for disaster-affected families, nor did it appear on the Housing Subsidy System. However, Funani did not elaborate on whether Zenze's name had initially been submitted by the municipality, if he underwent an assessment and was subsequently excluded, or the specific criteria used to select the final beneficiaries.

Further attempts to gain clarity from municipal authorities proved fruitless. Sivenkosi Mtiya, the spokesperson for the Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality, did not respond to questions concerning the disaster assessment procedures, the method used to register affected residents, whether Zenze's registration was indeed recorded, who was responsible for submitting names to human settlements, or the overall selection process for the housing project beneficiaries. Similarly, Ward 16 Councillor Monwabisi Zamo declined to explain why certain disaster victims were excluded from the housing initiative, instead directing all inquiries back to the municipality, thereby perpetuating the cycle of unaddressed questions.

Community leaders have also highlighted the perceived irregularities in the RDP beneficiary list. Nomfuneko Tamba, who also lost her home, expressed the community's bewilderment regarding the criteria for beneficiary selection, particularly when individuals who suffered extensive losses, such as Zenze, were overlooked. Nozintombi Mdanga, another community leader, noted that some individuals whose homes were not destroyed by the storm reportedly received RDP houses. While residents initially did not challenge these allocations, believing the project would eventually accommodate everyone, the ongoing delays and lack of progress have left many in financial distress, struggling with debt incurred while attempting to rebuild their own homes.

The protracted Cwaru village RDP housing dispute underscores the severe human cost of administrative failures in post-disaster recovery efforts. Siyeni Zenze's current living situation is a stark reminder of the vulnerability faced by those still awaiting assistance. He resides with his daughter in a house that was also damaged by the storm when a tree fell on its zinc roof. Despite their efforts to repair it using inexpensive materials, the roof continues to leak, offering inadequate protection. The household faces extreme poverty, with no employed members, relying solely on Zenze's R2,400 old-age grant and his grandchildren's child support grants for survival.

This ongoing struggle highlights the critical importance of transparent and equitable Eastern Cape RDP housing allocation processes, especially for Middledrift storm victims housing. The failure to provide promised housing not only exacerbates the suffering of disaster-affected communities but also raises significant questions about the fulfillment of housing rights and administrative justice in South Africa. The six-year delay and the opaque beneficiary selection process have left many residents feeling abandoned and without recourse, forcing them into precarious living conditions and financial hardship, while the responsible authorities remain silent on the irregularities.

This story highlights significant administrative failures and potential maladministration in post-disaster housing allocation by the Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements and Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality. Lawyers should note the potential for public interest litigation, administrative review, or class action lawsuits challenging the opaque beneficiary selection process and the failure to provide promised housing to eligible victims, particularly concerning the right to housing and administrative justice.

Source: Original reporting via GroundUp