CLAYVILLE RDP HOUSING PROJECT RESUMES AFTER LABOUR RAID
Construction on the R250 million Clayville RDP housing project has resumed after authorities shut down the site during a labour and immigration compliance raid where more than 50 undocumented workers were arrested.
CLAYVILLE – Construction on the R250 million Clayville RDP housing project has officially resumed after authorities temporarily shut down the site due to serious labour and safety violations uncovered during a recent inspection.
The shutdown followed a multi-disciplinary operation by the Department of Employment and Labour, SAPS and EMPD, where more than 50 undocumented foreign nationals were arrested in Clayville during a labour and immigration compliance blitz.
The arrests were made during the raid at the Clayville construction site, as previously reported by KAE News in its coverage of the operation that targeted illegal employment practices in the area.
During the inspection, officials discovered several labour and occupational safety contraventions, including:
• Employment of undocumented foreign nationals
• Workers not wearing proper protective equipment
• Unsafe scaffolding at the construction site
• Failure to register workers with the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF)
• Workers allegedly not receiving the required minimum wage
• A fake construction permit
Authorities issued prohibition notices and ordered the contractor to resolve the violations before any construction work could continue.
According to officials, the issues have since been addressed following a follow-up inspection conducted on 2 March 2026.
The contractor responsible for the project, Valumax, confirmed that all occupational health and safety compliance issues have now been rectified.
“All compliance concerns have been rectified and construction work has resumed,” said Riaan Du Randt, legal representative for Valumax.
The Clayville housing development will deliver 564 fully subsidised RDP housing units, built across 17 four-storey walk-up residential blocks.
The homes are mainly intended for residents from nearby communities, including Tembisa, who have been on the housing waiting list since 1996 under the Gauteng housing allocation policy.
Construction on the project originally began on 10 April 2025 and is expected to be completed later this year.
The project’s principal contractor is Tri-Star Construction, a Level 1 B-BBEE entity, which has subcontracted several local small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) to participate in the development.
Once completed, the project is expected to provide much-needed housing relief to hundreds of families who have been waiting decades for homes in the region.
