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Last Tuesday, City of Johannesburg Mayor, Herman Mashaba, announced that Council will hand over rental stock to qualifying individuals.
This is accommodation that is subsidised to occupants.
“For years the City of Johannesburg has failed to repair and maintain its rental stock. In some instances, the City has been guilty of operating more as a Slum Lord than a caring City trying to address the housing backlog,” said Mayor Mashaba.
The City faces a housing backlog of approximately 300 000 units. Earlier this year, Mashaba called for the City’s Department of Housing to conduct a city-wide audit to determine the legal status of individuals occupying all housing units owned by JOSHCO (Johannesburg Social Housing Company).
Sharing more details, he said the handover is aimed at those who have occupied the flats for a period of time. This will see long standing tenants of these flats becoming owners, in possession of title deeds.
“I’m determined that only those who were the intended beneficiaries of the rental units may benefit from this program.
This will mean that South African citizens will be targeted to benefit from these transfers of title,” explained Mashaba.
Before title deeds are issued, the City will conduct repairs and maintenance of the Council flats which are currently in poor condition.
Mashaba said he would be working with the Housing Department to formulate the criteria for this change in the City’s approach to its rental stock, and bringing a report to Council in 2019.
