BHC houses invaded by termites, contractor blamed

CALISTUS KOLANTSHO
Correspondent | Friday July 2, 2010 00:00

The affected structures were completed in 2008 and 2009 at Phase One Location in Selebi-Phikwe as part of a BHC project to alleviate the housing shortage in the country.

BHC Chief Executive Officer, Reginald Motswaiso told journalists during a press conference this week that certain processes were overlooked during the construction phase.  For instance at the foundation stage of a construction project, the soil should have been treated to destroy any living organisms that could damage or compromise the structure in the future. He said such practices include the treatment of the soil to ensure that organisms such as termites, ants and plants do not damage the building structures, adding that this has been the practice at BHC.

'We have implored the contractor of the two affected projects to engage a professional pest control entity to treat all the houses in order to remedy the situation once and for all. This will involve the drilling of one metre holes around all the houses as well as drilling holes inside the houses affected internally, and then applying the relevant chemical to destroy the termites and also prevent future infestation,' said Motswaiso.

He said this exercise is expected to be completed in the next four weeks. Motswaiso explained that the chemical being used is environmentally friendly and is not harmful to human beings or pets.

A pest controller who has been engaged to deal with the termite problem, Kenneth Mahaso explained that the termites are infecting the houses because the soil was not treated and some houses could have been built on top of termite hills.

'We are drilling one meter holes on the outside of the house and pumping the termitecide inside. We are using biflex to kill termites that are infecting the houses. After completing the houses we will then attend to the termite hills using clophirifos,' he said.

Mahaso said the contractor should have engaged a professional pest controller before starting the construction.He observed that the projects were done in an area were termites are active. He further explained that termites can attack structures that are as far as 50 meters from their hill. He said the chemicals they are using are not dangerous to the occupants of the houses because after completing the exercise they seal the holes. 

Meanwhile, Motswaiso has revealed that BHC has increased the number of houses due for construction in Selebi-Phikwe due to the rising demand.  He noted that there is an ongoing project that involves the construction of 74 housing units, expected to be delivered by the end of September.