​Bukuta Nkuna 
Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements and Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Lebogang Maile has stood by his statement that there was no misappropriation of funds in the Alexandra Renewal Project (ARP). Maile was speaking on Tuesday 23 July at the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) in Braamfontein during his presentation before the inquiry into the ARP.  The enquiry is held jointly with the Public Protector's Office.
The SAHRC convened the hearing to probe socio-economic conditions in Alexandra following weeks of housing-related protests. Giving a detailed report, MEC Maile said there were continual misconceptions over the way the project was conducted. The programme was meant to address urbanisation and housing challenges in the area. The estimated budget for the project in 2001, was for the redevelopment of Alexandra, and cost R1.3bn over seven years.
"There was R1.3 billion that was anticipated to be spent as per the budget plan. However, it has been later found that more than R1.3 billion had been spent since the project commenced," Maile said. According to the MEC, the R1.3bn was never a ringfenced amount where a particular individual or official was responsible. This amount was a total sum of contributions that were going to be made by all spheres of government as well as by all provincial departments.
He further emphasised that the budget allocation was conducted through a former administration compromising of the three spheres of state. "I want to dismiss any notion that national government put billions of rands into the ARP. The Alexandra Renewal Project was funded by the City of Johannesburg and provincial government," he added.
"The fact that there has been challenges in the three spheres of government does not necessarily mean there is no proper coordination," clarified Maile.
The Department of Human Settlements conducted a site-visit to the community in 2013 where a variety of housing projects were discovered to have been hijacked. 
"There has since been more than 2000 units that have been built in the community. However, in our audit we found that there were allegations of a ward councillor who is accused of renting out the houses to tenants. The Department of Human Settlements has since dissolved the properties due to the dissatisfaction of community members," highlighted the MEC.
He further emphasised that one of the root causes of the project's failure emanated from illegal occupation of houses. ​