Mashaba to release findings of Johannesburg housing probe

Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba will on Thursday release the findings of an investigation into the quality of houses in parts of the city.

The probe followed deadly storms that hit parts of Johannesburg‚ destroying homes and killing two people. The initial findings of the investigation were released earlier this month. The findings touched on flawed city approval processes and revealed that banks would be asked to answer questions. 

As part of the investigation‚ the City’s Group Risk and Advisory Services (GRAS) was charged with:

- Establishing the identities of contractors involved in the construction of relevant buildings;

- The City’s role in issuing certificates of occupation; and

- The role of financial institutions‚ such as lenders and banks‚ who fund the construction of some of these buildings.

The preliminary reported highlighted the following:

- Poor record keeping at the City’s Building Development Management (BDM).

- Incomplete applications for approval of building plans.

- No proof of home pre-inspection during the construction of some properties.