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IOL News
4 hours ago
- Business
- IOL News
Mabaso calls on Joburg residents to safeguard RDP and social housing
The City of Johannesburg's Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Human Settlements, Mlungisi Mabaso, has made a passionate appeal to residents benefiting from government-subsidised housing to protect and maintain their properties. Image: Itumeleng English / Independent Media City of Johannesburg Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Human Settlements, Mlungisi Mabaso, has lashed out at Joburg residents who are beneficiaries of Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) and social housing, to protect and care for their properties. Mabaso criticised South Africans who refuse to pay for government services and those who damage and disrupt infrastructure during a site handover ceremony at the Riverside View Social Housing project, located north of Johannesburg near Fourways. "We have thousands of our people who want to be accommodated. If we can't collect rent and services, we cannot build new spaces. Everyone needs to be accommodated, and I do not agree with the notion that we should only focus on the RDP social housing programme. We need various housing solutions to cater to the needs of everyone. "Some need to be fully subsidised, and some are first-time home owners who are in the GAP market. They must be accommodated. Everyone must be accommodated according to their circumstances, and those who are called on to pay for services must do so to ensure that we can provide services in the future," he stated. The GAP market consists of workers who do not qualify for a full bond. They are subsidised by the government to buy their first home. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading On the City of Joburg's decision to find alternative accommodation outside of the CBD, Mabaso said this has been a conscious decision which ensures that everyone benefits from government social housing initiatives, including those who stay far from the city centre. "What we ought to do is to account for every cent spent on implementing our project, as this is a moving target and taxpayers' money. We can't squeeze everyone in the inner city, which is why we have decided to implement these projects outside the inner city. Some do not want to reside in the inner city. There have been quite some developments outside the inner city, and all of those are performing very well," Mabaso stated. Mabaso, alongside speaker Rufus Maswazi and CoJ Speaker, Margaret Arnolds, and Johannesburg Social Housing Company (Joshco) representatives, commended the residents of Diepsloot for not plundering and destroying a range of social housing projects, which have been launched to ensure dignity to low- and middle-class income earners. Arnolds commended Joshco and its partners for ensuring dignity to those who need it the most, adding that not everyone in the city enjoys a dignified home due to the limited government funding, which is unable to deal with the human settlement challenges in real time. "It's a great honour to be here for this groundbreaking project. Human Settlement is not only about housing, but also addressing special planning that keeps our people on the periphery. We must work hard in translating policy into progress to ensure vision for housing for all is not spoken of but implemented and realised. "This is a powerful example of the city's commitment to bringing safety and dignity to our people. It is very important that we reach out and integrate our people into spaces such as this one," she said.
The Citizen
3 days ago
- The Citizen
Municipality hosts safety and security awareness campaign to curb crime
The Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Community Services, Sizwe Buthelezi, brought together the eMalahleni community and various stakeholders for a safety and security awareness campaign at Lynnville Park. According to Buthelezi, the idea of the event, held on July 9, was inspired by the numerous complaints received in his office from different members of the community complaining about the increase in crime in the City of Coal. 'As the municipality, we have direct contact with the community and stakeholders at different departments, so it is our responsibility to bring the community together with the relevant stakeholders responsible for crime,' Buthelezi said. Through the gathering, the MMC explained that they aimed to create a positive response to the crime that has plagued eMalahleni, emphasising that they intend to do away with the culture of being more reactive than proactive. 'Instead of reacting to incidents, we are trying to encourage proaction, because crime prevention is key, and it must be primary,' he said. Buthelezi added that the various stakeholders they had which included representatives from the South African Police Service, law enforcement, traffic, fire department, disaster management, and the portfolio committee of the Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison, were there to advice the community on how to be proactive and make them knowledgeable on the role they need to play in curbing crime. The Speaker of Council in eMalahleni, Clr Nombuso Shabangu, was also in attendance, reaffirming her commitment to creating a safer and more just society through collaboration with the community. Residents responded to the discussions and expressed their disturbing concerns regarding the rate of crime, and they all agreed that they need solutions, and they need them now. 'The level of crime in our city requires more strategic meetings in which we will go from ward to ward, discussing solutions,' said Themba Marabi, a resident of Ward 12. Buthelezi concluded, saying such campaigns and initiatives are a great starting point toward curbing crime. 'If you want to conquer the world, you start with the first step and continue until you reach your destination,' he said. Breaking news at your fingertips … Follow WITBANK NEWS on our website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or TikTok Chat to us: [email protected] At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
13-07-2025
- IOL News
Tshwane investigates allegations of illicit sales of service stands in Zithobeni Heights
Tshwane's Human Settlements MMC, Aaron Maluleka, expressed concern over beneficiaries selling their allocated stands soon after receiving them. Image: Supplied/City of Tshwane The City of Tshwane's allocation of service stands to Zithobeni Heights residents has been rocked by allegations of illicit sales of sites intended for beneficiaries in need. Tshwane's Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Human Settlements, Aaron Maluleka, expressed concern that some beneficiaries are selling their allocated stands shortly after receiving them. He made this revelation during a visit to the area on Friday, accompanied by Deputy Executive Mayor Eugene Modise. The visit was aimed to address allegations that threatened to deny deserving residents their rightful allocation of sites. Maluleka called for an investigation into the matter, with the City's Group Audit and Risk division tasked with determining the full extent of these unlawful activities. "We adopt a zero-tolerance stance towards corruption and malfeasance. Any City officials found to be involved in these unlawful acts will face severe consequences, including disciplinary action, criminal prosecution, and the termination of their careers,' he said. The investigation follows a meeting between Maluleka, Modise, and councillors for wards 102 and 105 to discuss the Zithobeni Heights Serviced Stands Project's progress. Maluleka said that the City recognises certain vulnerable groups, such as child-headed families, backyard dwellers, and emergency cases, are not being adequately addressed through the current initiative. To address this issue, a new housing project is set to commence shortly, providing an additional 3,000 housing opportunities specifically for these categories. The development includes strategically reserved open spaces for essential community facilities, which will be protected from unlawful occupation. Maluleka urged members of the public with information on the illegal sale of stands or other corrupt activities to report such malfeasance to the nearest SAPS station or the City of Tshwane Fraud Hotline. He said a ward 102 councillor has been directed to collaborate with City officials to finalise the relocation of remaining beneficiaries from his ward. 'The development includes strategically reserved open spaces designated for essential community facilities, including churches, sports facilities, schools, and parks. These spaces are critical for future community development and will be protected from unlawful occupation. The Metro Police Department has been instructed to remove any individuals who illegally occupy these reserved areas, as they are vital for the long-term social and recreational needs of the community,' he said. [email protected]
IOL News
10-06-2025
- IOL News
Joburg's MMC leads crackdown on illegal occupiers in the CBD
Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Human Settlements, Mlungisi Mabaso, led a high-impact operation on Tuesday targeting illegally occupied properties within the Central Business District (CBD). Image: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers Six undocumented foreign nationals were detained by Home Affairs officials and immigration officers following a raid led by the City of Johannesburg MMC for Human Settlement, Mlungisi Mabaso. Mabaso, who was in the company of officials from Johannesburg Social Housing Company (JOSHCO), Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), Public Safety officials, Home Affairs representatives, and other officials, conducted a high-impact blitz raid on the illegally occupied AA House Building in the CBD on Tuesday morning. The focus of the raid in the city centre was on several JOSHCO-owned buildings to improve service delivery, safety, and operational efficiency. Mabaso indicated that this proactive raid comes on the back of the influx of foreigners who are dominating the rental market in some of the government-owned buildings in the city centre. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ He added that the raid underscores the city's commitment to enhancing service delivery, ensuring safety, and supporting the economic empowerment of our communities through effective management of JOSHCO's commercial properties. "We have already arrested six undocumented foreigners during this raid, and because the majority of our buildings and most of our hijacked buildings are being occupied by foreign nationals, whenever we requested to intervene, we are told to provide alternative accommodation to evacuate. "We are confronted by those challenges as we are unable to do anything with them. We cannot even demand their immigration statuses. That is why we have Home Affairs here with us today and other departments," he said. Mabaso indicated that the operation aims to create a safer, more vibrant Johannesburg where residents can enjoy quality services and opportunities for growth. This operation comes hot on the heels of a similar operation which took place early last month, which targeted Textile House and African Diamond — both located on the corner of Kerk and Goud streets.
The Citizen
23-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Mayor leads ‘bad buildings' inspection in CBD
Members of the Mayoral Committee, led by Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya, recently conducted a 'bad buildings' walkabout in Pretoria Central. The effort formed part of the metro's Reclaim Our City (ROC) initiative, a programme aimed at exhilarating urban renewal and stomping out lawlessness across the metro. The mayor was joined by members of the Mayoral sub-committee, the TMPD and SAPS as well as the Bad Buildings Committee (BBC), a team tasked with identifying and revitalising hijacked, abandoned and derelict buildings in the CBD and surrounding areas. On May 22, Moya led the expedition to various identified spots around Pretoria Central and West, where an utter disregard for the metro's by-laws was on full display. The stakeholders convened on Sophie De Bruyn Street where they visited several spots in the vicinity including illegal scrapyards, make-shift residential premises and non-compliant businesses. 'This is one of those buildings that is owned by the city (Bloed Street), but as you can see, there are shacks inside here. I was here three weeks ago, and then, around 300 people were staying here who were served evacuation notices because it is obviously not safe for people to stay here. As you can see, these used to be shacks and now they've been dismantled, you can see that people have moved out, but there are a couple of them who are still here,' Moya said. 'We are trying to avoid a situation such as the Usindo disaster. We need to prevent it. This is one of the buildings we are targeting. For us, it is the whole block that we want to demolish here and provide this piece of land [for housing]. We do have a housing shortage in our city, and we want to deal with our housing needs and attract businesses to the city,' Moya said. The mayor said there are, however, processes that need to be followed, so the city cannot simply arrive and demand that occupants leave. ALSO READ: Tshwane looks to Expropriation Act to take over derelict buildings She described the tour as a fact-finding exercise, saying that some of the properties where these illegal dealings have been occurring were not known to the city. The mayor said the TMPD, Building Control and partnering stakeholders will decide the course of action to ensure they are not met with the same sight in a few weeks. She insisted that the previous figures the BBC have indicated regarding the identified buildings which need attention have increased after her Pretoria West visit. According to the mayor, the city intends to demolish the entire block to build a housing project similar to the Marabastad Townlands. To address homelessness, the mayor is calling upon NPOs and social organisations to join the party, insisting that the challenge with relocation is that illegal occupants may not want to conform to the rules at shelters. Environment MMC Obakeng Ramabodu said that a main issue he observed was the lack of compliance with city by-laws. 'We have a lot of by-laws that many people are not aware of, some are made known, but there are some that only exist on file, so we need to make sure that we implement them,' Ramabodu said. MMC for Roads and Transport Tlangi Mogale said that among the profiling they completed, illegal occupants consist of both South African and foreign nationals. 'We can confirm that most of the people are foreign nationals, but we do have some South Africans as well. They do form part of the indigent programme of the city, but we don't have a scouting team to find them. However, what we also advise is that they come in and work with our NGOs and NPOs, with which we have partnered and signed MOUs to assist them,' Mogale said. ALSO READ: Tshwane operation finds hijacked building with over 300 shacks Mogale said that there are a lot of buildings that the city wants to capitalise on and the BBC allows them to proceed with their plans. 'For the longest time, we haven't been playing our part as the city to capitalise on these buildings. If you go further west of Pretoria, you'll realise that we've got so many hijacked buildings which are losing us a lot of revenue because we've been sleeping on them,' Mogale said. Spatial Planning MMC Sarah Mabotsa said the demolition plans are necessary as the buildings surveyed are not suitable for human occupation. 'What we're going to do moving [forward] is that we'd like to rezone this building and convert it into low-cost housing. We're trying to address what we call 'Apartheid spatial planning', where people are living far from where they work. If we can rezone this, then people will be able to work and enjoy life here, and this is city property,' Mabotsa said. 'So many people would like to live in the CBD and they can't afford these expensive houses, that's why we've come up with this.' The stakeholders also visit the Tshwane Events Centre or Pretoria Showgrounds for a clean-up operation of this strategic city asset. The mayor said they are working on plans to host a market in the next few weeks as part of the city's economic revitalisation strategy. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
