The Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements says it has received over R233-million addition funding from the National Department.
The Department says the allocation of the additional funding is a result of the Department of Human Settlements changing its service delivery model and re-organising its internal functions to be service delivery orientated.
Department spokesperson, Lwandile Sicwetsha, 8966 houses were completed during this financial year, and nearly 4000 more are nearing completion.
He says the department was allocated a conditional grant budget of R2.1 billion for this year, but additional funding was needed to complete all the construction work currently underway across the Province.
Meanwhile, SMME contractors who have built RDP houses for Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality are protesting at City Hall.
They say many of them have not been paid since December for work done and those who have received payments, did not receive their full claim.
Spokesperson for the group, Kevin Lazaro, says they don't have money to pay their workers.
"We are all contractors gathered here today [Wednesday] to talk to the municipality and the municipal manager. We have done work, we have created value and up until now since December nobody has got paid, they made empty promises. Some people did see money but up until now nobody has seen further funds. We are running out of money, our workers are not getting paid, our families are not getting fed because we don't have the money to even feed them." says Lazaro.
Speaking to Algoa FM News, Lazaro said a delegation is in a meeting with Municipal officials.
He says they've also been told that the Municipality is waiting for money from Bhisho.
"They just said the province ran out of money and that's it. We just had to accept that. They have absolutely no empathy for us. Even if they come up with an excuse, but they don't . They just say look there's mo money, you have to wait and that's it."
