The project at extension 44 in Polokwane had to be delayed so that the contractors could submit their plans to the Polokwane municipality.

at least a thousand houses are being built.

Limpopo local government and housing spokesperson Khuitsemang Diseko said the delay was a result of a "minor oversight" on the side of the contractors.

"The municipality played its role in this matter and we hope that other municipalities can do the same," Mr Diseko said.

He said some of the building work was also found to be of poor quality.

"Quality problems were also found, but contractors went out of their way to ensure the internal walls were firmer. The department lost no money," he added.

Meanwhile, Mr Diseko said his department would demolish 1 000 RDP houses at Nobody Village near Polokwane.

The houses, he said, were built on dolomitic ground and on a flood line.

"These houses will be built in another place after we were made aware of this problem by the Council for Geoscience," he said.

Early this year, local government and housing MEC Maite Nkoana-Mashabane commissioned an investigation into corruption in the construction of houses.

The report found that contractors were claiming money for incomplete work, and one contractor was found to have claimed R4 million for houses he never built.

A number of the department's officials responsible for processing the claims were fired.

The problem is not unique to Limpopo province.

Mpumalanga local government and housing MEC Jabu Mahlangu had to destroy 427 houses worth R9.5 million in Orlando Village, Komatipoort, after inspectors found that they were built with weak bricks.

Mr Mahlangu was also forced to freeze construction of all new low cost houses in the 2005/06 financial year in order to finish 17 000 houses that were abandoned by unscrupulous contractors.

He has also lodged criminal and civil charges against four housing contractors for allegedly pilfering more than R400 000.

These contractors are accused of claiming money for shoddy work or invoicing for RDP houses that they did not build.

The MEC has already fired two inspectors from his department and suspended another three for their part in the scam.