During an oversight visit to Vista Park 2 and 3 on Tuesday (25/3), where 30 houses had been completed for beneficiaries, MPs from the National Portfolio Committee for Human Settlements questioned how the municipality and provincial government would ensure that deserving beneficiaries, many of whom have been waiting for years, are not overlooked.

This concern is compounded by the fact that the system used to manage the allocation of these homes has not yet been digitised, making it difficult to track and manage beneficiaries effectively.

Houses built for military veterans. Photo: Warren Hawkins

Mayor Gregory Nthatisi addressed these concerns, saying the Department of Defence and Military Veterans had been asked to prioritise older generations of veterans in the allocation of homes. Younger and “strong beneficiaries” sometimes gain access to housing, making it harder for those who truly need it – particularly the elderly – to receive their rightful homes.

The mayor emphasised the issue of military veterans had already been raised with the national Department of Human Settlements. He called for a more careful review of the lists managed by the Department of Military Veterans to ensure that priority is given to those who are truly in need, such as veterans before the detachment of June 16 who are now in their 70s or 80s.

According to Nthatisi, while there are veterans from newer generations, many of whom are still able-bodied, it is crucial to focus on those who are ageing and in need of assistance. He urged the Department of Military Veterans to take these different generations into account when allocating homes.

“When it comes to the issue of military veterans, the issue was raised with the national department of Human Settlements, which has a mission to fulfil, to go and meet with the department of Military Veterans as they are the ones who are running the list as to who should be a military veteran and who should be accommodated,” Nthatisi explained.

The housing project for the military was under scrutiny for some time. In 2022, the then MEC of Cooperative Governance and Human Settlements in the Free State, Mxolisi Dukwana, led a sting operation with police and security officers to verify the authenticity of the occupants at 15 carefully selected homes in the area.

The operation was prompted by suspicions that corrupt officials from the Department of Human Settlements and the municipality were manipulating the housing beneficiary list to favour certain individuals.

Mayor Nthatisi said the current metro administration was tasked with addressing the legacy of housing backlogs and corruption. Beneficiaries from other housing projects being developed by the metro would be prioritised based on vulnerability, with those who need accommodation urgently, including the elderly, disabled individuals, and child-headed households, being given priority.

The ailing metro has a backlog of close to 40,000 people who need homes.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi cg