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The Maritseng housing project in Matatiele, Eastern Cape, has fallen into disarray, leaving over 400 houses half-built and without roofs. Launched in 2015, the project aimed to deliver 1,500 homes to beneficiaries, but it has been plagued by delays and mismanagement from the start.
Sivivane Construction Company initially completed 1,084 houses, but the project was abandoned in 2022. In response, the provincial Department of Human Settlements appointed the Matatiele Local Municipality as the new implementing agent. The municipality then brought in Mayibuye iAfrika as the new contractor in March. Despite these changes, construction has yet to resume, leaving beneficiaries frustrated and still living in mud houses next to their unfinished homes.
Community leaders have voiced their concerns about the persistent delays and the government’s refusal to allow beneficiaries to complete the houses themselves. The Matatiele Local Municipality has assured residents that the project will resume once Mayibuye iAfrika secures its registration with the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC). However, the NHBRC has confirmed that the company already holds a valid registration certificate.
Beneficiaries remain skeptical. One resident commented, “Having an incomplete house in your yard is a constant reminder that our government has failed in financial management.” Although the project is expected to be completed by June 2025, hundreds of families are still without proper housing in the meantime.
