Makhado plans new RDP houses but homes built in 2021 still lack water and electricity

In Tshikota, Limpopo, new state housing is being constructed, but residents of RDP homes built in 2021 are still lacking water and electricity. GroundUp discovered that 100 of the older development's homes do not have water, with 50 of these also not having electricity. The Limpopo Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA) is investing nearly R30-million in 154 new houses within the Makhado municipality.

The Makhado Local Municipality and Vhembe District Municipality are jointly responsible for installing electricity and water. Since their last visit in May, when over 100 houses were without electricity, some progress has been made as electricity poles have been erected, though not all homes have been connected yet. Maria Tshidada, a resident, explained that households with water tanks spend roughly R300 monthly to refill them and that residents do not use candles due to safety concerns.

She and her unemployed children rely on SASSA grants. Matodzi Mandeze, another resident, purchases water to fill containers and transport it home. She stated that the municipality gave them houses with flushing toilets but without water supply and electricity, and that roads are also inadequate. Elderly resident Magret Mathekga mentioned that purchasing 20 liters of untreated borehole water costs R2 to R3.

The municipal spokesperson, Mpho Rathando, contradicted the number of households affected, asserting that only two older RDP houses lacked both water and electricity. He claimed that 90% of the electrification had been completed, but residents were unaware of the requirement to open municipal accounts and submit supporting documents.

The CoGHSTA spokesperson, Tsakani Baloyi, attributed delays in water installation to design upgrades requested by the district municipality, stating that work will resume under revised performance conditions.