China’s CITIC Group has rejected the existence of widespread construction defects in its Kilamba Kiaxi housing project in Angola, alleged by The Wall Street Journal.
Initiated jointly in 2008 by the Angolan government and Beijing-based CITIC Construction, the project aimed to meet the needs of Angola’s post-war reconstruction and people’s livelihoods, according to a statement that CITIC Group sent to the Chinese newspaper Global Times.
The Angolan Kilamba Kiaxi-Belas Municipal Planning Project, a large social housing project outside the capital of Luanda, includes the construction of a total of 20,000 housing units and the support of municipal works, with a resident population of 120,000.
Since its completion in 2012, the current handover and occupancy rates are at 100 per cent, which has greatly alleviated the urgent housing needs of the Angolan people, the company said. The project has won the highest praise from both governments of China and Angola, it added.
A recent report by The Wall Street Journal claimed that it has “cracked walls, mouldy ceilings, and poor construction,” part of what the Global Times considers “many attempts at discrediting Belt and Road Initiative projects”.
In response to the allegation, CITIC Group told the Global Times that the project does not have any construction problems.
“On the contrary, because of the excellent design and construction of the project and the sound municipal service system, it was sold out within a relatively short period of time after completion and handover, which was affirmed by the Angolan people,” the company said.
So-called “poor construction quality” related problems are due to the fact that after some residents moved in, to meet the needs of individualised living, their houses were substantially renovated, with components such as floors, wall coatings, water, and electricity pipelines installed in kitchens and bathrooms, CITIC Group noted.
Due to substandard workmanship, these renovations destroyed the original water and electricity pipelines and subverted waterproof measures, resulting in water leakage in some houses.
“This ratio of damages was not high, and was rare,” the company said. At the request of the owner, CITIC Group also actively assisted in remedying the situation, and repairs have since been completed.
