Parly committee hopes new bill will prevent tragedies such as the George building collapse
The Housing Consumer Protection Bill is intended to protect homeowners against shoddy workmanship and puts in place more stringent requirements for builders.
CAPE TOWN - Parliament's human settlements committee says it hopes a new bill passed by the House on Thursday will prevent tragedies such as Monday's building collapse in George, in which eight people have died and 44 are still unaccounted for.
The Housing Consumer Protection Bill is intended to protect homeowners against shoddy workmanship and puts in place more stringent requirements for builders.
During final debate in the National Assembly on Thursday, MPs said Monday's building collapse validated the need for such a bill.
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They said they were increasingly concerned about the poor building standard of new homes, in particular, government RDP houses.
The Housing Consumer Protection Bill was introduced in Parliament back in 2019 - it requires that home builders will have to be registered and their conduct strictly monitored.
All the homes they build will also have to be listed.
Human settlements committee chairperson, Rosina Semenya, questioned how the building collapse in George was not prevented.
"One wonders how the collapsed building in George reaches such phases without building inspectors or engineers noticing defects with the structures."
African National Congress (ANC) MP Mohatla Tseki said that those responsible for the building's collapse must be held accountable.
"This bill will be a whip to the wrongdoers, will be a whip to anyone who is found [to have done] wrong in George."
The bill will now be sent to the president for assent.