Government contractors that continue to do shoddy work should be removed from state supplier lists, said the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in KwaZulu-Natal.

The party said 15 families living in Newlands West in Durban have for over a decade, complained to the eThekwini municipality about a shoddy job that led to a leaking pipe and leaving cracks in their homes.

"This was after the municipality built a retaining wall which separated their properties from RDP flats that were built in 2009. Residents have complained about water that has been flowing non-stop, cracking their walls and homes," said the IFP in a statement on Wednesday.

"We feel that the shoddy work by contractors used by government in all spheres can no longer be tolerated. The KwaZulu-Natal government should take it upon itself to remove all contractors who deliver shoddy work from government contractors lists in this province.

"What concerns us more is that the wet and cracked walls put the lives of people especially kids at a huge risk. Waterproofing is a very simple job and the municipality could have taken measures to make sure that it was done so that potential risks were prevented. The eThekwini municipality should urgently fix this problem." 

Local and provincial government leaders should take responsibility for failing municipalities, the party said.

"The IFP again urges the government to ensure that tenders are awarded to competent contractors with impeccable track record and enough resources to carry out the construction work safely," said the statement. 

"The municipality should be able to stop any contractor from executing work that's not in accordance with the public safety specifications or poses a threat to safety."