17 home builders deregistered for various contraventions

© Sasin Tipchai – 123RF.com

The NHBRC said the offences committed by the builders/contractors included failure to enrol or register new homes, and failure to comply with the code of conduct and the building standards.

NHBRC CEO Mziwonke Dlabantu said the 17 contractors were deregistered from the council’s database following the outcome of the disciplinary hearing processes. The contractors' names have also been published on the Government Gazette of 15 March 2019.

“The NHBRC will continue to ensure that building standards are upheld and consumers are protected from poorly constructed buildings through its stringent requirements and regular inspections of all NHBRC registered home building projects,” said Dlabantu.

Dlabantu said in the 2016/17 and 2018/19 financial years, the NHBRC suspended 482 home builders, who contravened the Act and prosecuted 1,482 home builders for various contraventions. These included shoddy workmanship, failure to enrol new homes and contravening the Code of Conduct for home builders.

The council has also opened 357 criminal cases against home builders who have failed to register and to enrol new homes, as per the Act.

Dlabantu said the NHBRC is collaborating with the National Prosecuting Authority and the South African Police Service in order to ensure that all the criminal cases opened are successfully prosecuted.

“Home builders who fail to fix the non-compliances issued by NHBRC home inspectors within the required period get suspended, pending prosecution by the NHBRC Disciplinary Committee (DC). These DCs are adjudicated by external and independent chairpersons. During the period of suspension, the home builder is not allowed to build any homes in the Republic,” Dlabantu said

Should the home builder be found guilty following a DC process, penalties may be imposed by the DC. The penalties include a fine not exceeding R25,000 per count or contravention; a warning; or withdrawal of registration.

Dlabantu implored housing consumers to support the organisation’s efforts by ensuring that they appoint NHBRC registered builders/sub-contractors and ensure the enrolment of homes before commencing with construction of their homes.

“Housing consumers, homeowners and buyers must exercise caution when dealing with contractors or developers or builders by ensuring that they verify their registration with the NHBRC in the first instance. A list of approved homebuilders is available on our website and housing consumers must choose potential contractors from this approved list so that they are protected in terms of the Housing Consumers Protection Measures Act,” Dlabantu said.

All role players are urged to report incidences of ethical transgressions to the NHBRC’S independently managed ethical hotline on 0800 203 698.