The Thembisa Extension 25 Mega Housing Project, launched in 2018 to provide over 3,500 homes, has been stalled since 2021 despite spending approximately R371 million, leaving the site incomplete, vandalised, and abandoned, according to multiple official and media sources.

Financial Mismanagement And Vandalism Plague Site

The City of Ekurhuleni confirmed that the wrong grant was used to fund the nearby Clayville Extension 45 social housing project, halting its progress after more than R122 million had already been spent, with no families able to move in so far. At the Thembisa site, windows, doors, and electrical cables have been stolen, and structures stand derelict — a situation acknowledged by Ekurhuleni’s MMC for Human Settlements, Kgopelo Holo, who said, “Dozens of people captured the project, to steal windows, roofs, and electric cables.”

According to the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements, R63.5 million was transferred in the 2020/21 financial year to support these projects, but implementation remained the city’s responsibility. Minister of Human Settlements Thembi Simelane has pledged to complete the stalled project despite ongoing financial challenges. This project’s collapse mirrors a wider trend, with the Free State alone hosting 154 unblocked housing projects in urgent need of intervention due to abandoned contractors and poor workmanship, as reported by the South African government news agency.

Community Impact And Political Accountability

Former site workers reported to local media that they remain unpaid for work completed before the project halted. Tsietsi Kukame, a former worker, said, “We worked on this site and built some of the structures. To this day, we haven’t been paid.” The issue has drawn attention from opposition parties on the Ekurhuleni council, with Freedom Front Plus councillor Rudolf Herbst stating, “We will escalate the matter to the Gauteng provincial government to ensure those responsible are held accountable.”

The stalled housing developments across Gauteng and the Free State highlight systemic challenges in project management, funding allocation, and contractor oversight, leaving thousands of promised homes undelivered and public resources under threat. Minister Simelane has indicated that the government is targeting over 200 stalled housing projects, including Thembisa, for urgent completion in 2026. Residents and former workers now await concrete action to resolve years of delays and unfulfilled commitments.

The project’s completion timeline now depends on renewed intervention from national and provincial authorities, with regular oversight and accountability measures expected in 2026.