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TSHEPISO. - Tick, tick, tick, this is a time bomb waiting to explode. Just like the residents of Tshepiso in Sharpeville, who took to the streets in song in protest against the houses in Phase 4 being sold and others given to friends and relatives did on Saturday.

Vaal Weekly warned earlier this year that the process of house allocations is riddled with corruption. The residents say that they are fed up with the process and that they are now ready and willing to use force to claim what they say is rightfully theirs.

Amongst the allegations is that there is double allocation of houses.

The houses are being sold and some given to friends and relatives who did not register for them in the first place. Another claim is that the building materials for these houses are being sold for cash.

Jan Molete, one of the angry residents says, "We want our houses as promised. What is happening here is corruption. We were given house numbers, but when we get to the houses we find people already living in them. Who gives them permission?"

The residents say that if something is not done they are going to move into the houses within 14 days and that they fear nothing, as they were earlier threatened with the Red Ants, a removal security company notorious for throwing people out of buildings. New Emfuleni MMC for Housing, Councillor Sello Pitso, says that his office is always available for the residents to lodge their complaints so that they can be investigated and that people must come out with information.

"The provincial government has appointed LTE Consulting as administration beneficiaries, as this is a provincial initiative, we play an overseer role to see that everything is implemented as per provincial requirements but our offices are open and residents can report cases of corruption so that they can be forwarded to the province," says Pitso.

He adds that they understand the community's frustrations, but his office condemns acts of violence and lawlessness. The Gauteng Province Housing Department's Spokesperson Aviva Manqa could not be reached for comment at the time of going to print as both his phones were on voicemail.

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