KZN tycoon's houses 'defective'

2010-04-17 08:54

Durban - The National Home Builders’ Registration Council has found defects in more than 1 000 houses built by a company owned by a KwaZulu-Natal tycoon.

An investigation had found defects requiring urgent attention in 1 200 of the 3 000 houses built in Umlazi by the company Zikhulise Cleaning and Transport, owned by Durban tycoon Shauwn Mpisane, KwaZulu-Natal human settlement MEC Maggie Govender said on Friday.

Of the defects, 30% were serious and would require major renovations, she said.

Mpisane, the wife of former eThekwini metro policeman Wiseman S'bu Mpisane, was awarded a R300 million housing contract to build low-income houses on 4 500 sites in Umlazi.

However, after 3 000 were built, it emerged that many had defects.

Pictures of the defects prompted Govender to instruct the NHBRC to investigate and recommend how the houses could be made safe.
Govender said the investigation revealed that there were no major concerns about the houses' structural integrity, but that there was evidence of "poor workmanship".

This may have been as a result of a lack of supervision of the workers.

Action would be taken where dereliction of duty had occurred, she said.

Govender said the housing project would not be disqualified because the defects would be rectified.

"The NHBRC has agreed that the houses, once rectified to the required standards, will qualify for the NHBRC warranty and can be therefore be transferred to the home owner," she said.

- SAPA