Home > Current Affairs News > TOKİ scandal in Hatay... 12punto investigates: Column rebar exposed, contractor yells at district governor

TOKİ scandal in Hatay... 12punto investigates: Column rebar exposed, contractor yells at district governor

The lack of care and deterioration in the columns and beams of the TOKİ housing units built in the Mağaracık neighborhood of Hatay's Samandağ district have become a hot topic on social media. 12punto investigated the problems in the TOKİ housing units in question.

Burak Demirbaş

Burak DEMİRBAŞ-12punto.com.tr

Following the February 6 earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş, the housing problem for earthquake victims has yet to be resolved.

President and AKP Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in a speech on March 31, 2023, "We will build and deliver a total of 650,000 new homes to our earthquake-affected citizens, with 319,000 of them within 1 year."

Former Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Mehmet Özhaseki, in an interview with TRT Haber on September 14, 2023, announced that the number of housing units they requested the Housing Development Administration (TOKİ) to build for earthquake victims was 850,000.

DEPLORABLE SIGHT

Images from the TOKİ housing units built in the Mağaracık neighborhood of Hatay's Samandağ district have become a hot topic on social media.

The images highlight numerous problems with the beams and columns, as well as issues in the construction.

'WE ARE CONTINUING OUR DISCUSSIONS'

Following the images in question, Sergen Doğru, Chief of Staff to TİP Samandağ Mayor Emrah Karaçay, speaking to 12punto, stated that they had reported the problems in the region to the District Governor's Office, saying, "Since the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change is doing this with TOKİ, the municipality has no legal role in the inspection of that place, but we are continuing our discussions with the authorized persons at the District Governor's Office and the Ministry."

When asked what the root cause of the problem was, Doğru said, "What we understand and the rumors we have heard are that the contractor firm and the workers could not agree, that the workers were constantly changing, and that the workers could not get their payments. We have spoken with the District Governor's Office, which needs to take the necessary action regarding this issue."

CHP Samandağ District Chairman Nadir Kimyon said the following regarding the scandalous images that emerged through posts made by craftsmen on social media:

ALLEGATION OF 'LANDSLIDE'

"We spoke with the District Governor. He said he spoke with the TOKİ director. The real problem emerged with the confessions of the formwork and iron workers here on media. After they made statements such as, 'There is a landslide here, a bored pile system is not being used. Stirrups are being used at 20 instead of 40,' we also started to investigate the issue.

It is said that these images are from 3 months ago; they reached us. We see that there is no inspection here. I have an opinion that the elected mayor should also take action because he is an executive.

The government, which has remained in the rubble since February 6, has not been able to solve our people's housing problem for 1.5 years. Because there is a mobilization based on rent, it is being handed over to construction contractors. Naturally, this causes problems to arise. Even if it is inspected, there is no sanction."

'THE CONTRACTOR CAN YELL AT THE DISTRICT GOVERNOR'

Saying "Buildings were built on swampy ground," Kimyon continued as follows:

"We are experiencing a situation that is above politics. If what the craftsmen say is true, a mass grave is being built for us. They say that the probability of another earthquake occurring here is high. Experts say that the Dead Sea Fault Line is active and that an earthquake above 7 could happen at any moment.

We cannot have the workmanship and concrete quality there tested. This inspection needs to be carried out correctly. We see that the political government cannot do this.

There is no inspection, we go to the District Governor's Office, the District Governor goes to TOKİ, and the contractor there can yell at the district governor."

'EXPERTS NEED TO MAKE AN ASSESSMENT'

Stating that he went to the District Governor's Office on July 22, Kimyon concluded his words by stating that the District Governor said the TOKİ Director would deal with the issue:

"There is no bored pile system here, there is a swamp. If stirrups are being made at 20 instead of 40, I don't know who will inspect it after the plaster is applied. Experts need to make an assessment here."

Here are the other images from the TOKİ units:

CORRECTION FROM THE DISTRICT GOVERNOR

CHP Samandağ District Chairman Nadir Kimyon corrected his statement, "We go to the District Governor's Office, the District Governor goes to TOKİ, and the contractor there can yell at the district governor," saying that, on the contrary, the district governor yelled at the contractor and that no such thing happened.