Gauteng’s broken builds: abandoned projects, rising rents and a growing bill

Gauteng’s broken builds: abandoned projects, rising rents and a growing bill

Drive past some of Gauteng’s biggest construction sites and the promise is still there, at least on paper. What you’ll actually see are hollowed-out buildings, missing windows, exposed concrete and weeds reclaiming ground that was meant to house families.

Across the province, stalled government projects are quietly bleeding public money, while the state racks up a R34 million monthly rental bill for private buildings it says it urgently needs.

Randfontein’s mega dream turned ghost town

On the West Rand, the Montrose Mega City housing project in Randfontein stands as one of the clearest examples of how ambition collapsed into neglect.

Launched in 2017 as a flagship response to Gauteng’s growing housing crisis, the R11 billion development was meant to deliver more than 10 500 homes. At the time, the province’s housing backlog was already severe, today it sits at over 1.3 million units.

Instead of homes, Montrose has become a wasteland. Stripped bathtubs, missing windows, crumbling walls and unstable staircases tell the story of a project that never recovered after construction stalled.

What went wrong at Montrose

According to the Gauteng department of human settlements, the project ground to a halt after its contract with SCM Developments was terminated due to financial difficulties. About R46 million had already been spent when work stopped.

The first phase alone was meant to deliver 5 600 housing units, including homes for 174 military veterans. In the end, only a handful of veterans reportedly received incomplete structures.

The developer is said to have abandoned the site in 2018, citing a lack of funds linked to demands from construction mafia, a challenge that has increasingly haunted public projects across the province.

Thembisa tells the same story

In Thembisa, Ekurhuleni, another ambitious housing plan has followed a similar path.

The R97 million Tembisa Mega Housing Project, a joint initiative between the province and the City of Ekurhuleni, has stood unfinished for nearly five years. Four-storey buildings now sit stripped of doors, roofs, windows and electrical fittings.

The 58-hectare site was designed to deliver 3 159 RDP walk-ups and 351 social housing units, aimed at easing pressure in the Winnie Mandela informal settlement. By the time construction stopped, more than R371 million had already been spent.

Paying rent while buildings stand empty

While these projects decay, Gauteng continues to spend heavily elsewhere.

In April last year, it emerged that the province pays R34 million every month to rent private buildings, despite owning 41 vacant properties in Johannesburg and Pretoria. On top of that, the state reportedly spends over R34 million a month on security to guard empty buildings it already owns.

For many residents, this contradiction has become a symbol of everything that feels broken in public infrastructure planning.

A pattern, not isolated failures

A 2024 National Council of Provinces report confirmed what many communities already suspected: more than 45 multimillion-rand projects in Gauteng remain incomplete.

On social media, frustration has boiled over, with residents questioning how housing shortages can coexist with abandoned developments and ballooning rental costs. Civic groups argue that these are not isolated failures, but symptoms of weak oversight, poor contractor management and a lack of accountability.

The real cost

Beyond the numbers, the impact is deeply personal. Every stalled project represents families still waiting for homes, communities left without services and public trust steadily eroded.

Until Gauteng finds a way to finish what it starts or stop paying for what it doesn’t use, these empty buildings will continue to stand as expensive reminders of promises left unfinished.