The story about City of Johannesburg’s plan to spend R63m to decongest informal settlements by providing serviced stands for beneficiaries to build their own houses has brought home a stark reality.
This comes as a realisation that the government’s policy to provide housing is under immense pressure to the point of impossibility. All South Africans with good intentions would like to see the state being strong enough to continue its mission to provide housing to the poor masses.
The truth is that levels of poverty in SA have increased with the rising unemployment rate, while at the same time, the tax base has drastically shrunken over the years. The situation of housing the needy has grown greater for a municipality like the City of Johannesburg in the past decades as many people migrate to SA’s economic hub every month, escaping dire economic odds in their provinces and countries.
Though the executive for housing, Mlungisi Mabaso, does not admit in the story that the city is unable to continue providing free houses, he, however, alludes to serviced stands as the way to go.
“We are moving them out of structures that easily get burnt and we are moving people outside areas where there aren’t any services,” Mabaso said.
He was referring to a new area in the south of Johannesburg where people have been moved to proper stands with shacks of superior quality.
This move has afforded residents a chance to build their own lives and homes at their own pace. One beneficiary, Lwandile Mpitsha, admits that much.
“We have our own stand, compared to the life we used to live, where we used to share one stand with three other families. Yes, we do want houses but we are happy with what we have because we understand houses will take longer,” he said.
Critics might say the city has hoodwinked the poor. However, this is what can be done for now for some residents seeking their own places. And, secondly, this does not necessarily mean Joburg has abandoned its brick-and-mortar housing projects.
What happened at Roodepoort Farm, Lenasia, is the state meeting the people halfway and creating the opportunity for those who can afford to surge ahead on their own to do so and build their own homes.
SowetanLIVE
SOWETAN SAYS | Stands give hope for housing
Image: Thulani Mbele
The story about City of Johannesburg’s plan to spend R63m to decongest informal settlements by providing serviced stands for beneficiaries to build their own houses has brought home a stark reality.
This comes as a realisation that the government’s policy to provide housing is under immense pressure to the point of impossibility. All South Africans with good intentions would like to see the state being strong enough to continue its mission to provide housing to the poor masses.
The truth is that levels of poverty in SA have increased with the rising unemployment rate, while at the same time, the tax base has drastically shrunken over the years. The situation of housing the needy has grown greater for a municipality like the City of Johannesburg in the past decades as many people migrate to SA’s economic hub every month, escaping dire economic odds in their provinces and countries.
Though the executive for housing, Mlungisi Mabaso, does not admit in the story that the city is unable to continue providing free houses, he, however, alludes to serviced stands as the way to go.
“We are moving them out of structures that easily get burnt and we are moving people outside areas where there aren’t any services,” Mabaso said.
He was referring to a new area in the south of Johannesburg where people have been moved to proper stands with shacks of superior quality.
This move has afforded residents a chance to build their own lives and homes at their own pace. One beneficiary, Lwandile Mpitsha, admits that much.
“We have our own stand, compared to the life we used to live, where we used to share one stand with three other families. Yes, we do want houses but we are happy with what we have because we understand houses will take longer,” he said.
Critics might say the city has hoodwinked the poor. However, this is what can be done for now for some residents seeking their own places. And, secondly, this does not necessarily mean Joburg has abandoned its brick-and-mortar housing projects.
What happened at Roodepoort Farm, Lenasia, is the state meeting the people halfway and creating the opportunity for those who can afford to surge ahead on their own to do so and build their own homes.
SowetanLIVE
Thanks for new shacks but we need houses, say residents
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