Riverlea Protests: Tau’s failure to deal with JHB housing crisis in the spotlight
20 July 2016
The protests that have erupted in Zamimpilo Informal Settlement, Riverlea early this morning, once again highlight the failure of Mayor Tau and his ANC administration to deal effectively with the Johannesburg housing crisis.
The City of Johannesburg spent R10 million building 400 new houses for the people of Zamimpilo in Fleurhof. Yet, eight months after handing over the first 30 houses to families, there are still 300 empty houses.
300 empty houses while the Zamimpilo community live without proper access to water, electricity, and sanitation.
300 empty houses while the people of Zamimpilo live without any dignity.
The empty promises of the Tau administration have resulted in this mess. Housing MMC, Dan Bovu, visited the community earlier this year promising that the houses would be allocated in April.
The community is still waiting and they have run out of patience.
My pledge to the community of Zamimpilo is that if I am elected Mayor, I will immediately audit the housing list and make it available to you. I will also ensure that the delivery of the remaining 300 houses is fast-tracked.
Johannesburg has an estimated 180 informal settlements, which are home to around 25% of the Johannesburg population.
Disgracefully, Tau spends millions of Rand advertising himself and portraying Johannesburg as a “World Class City”.
“World Class” for who Mr Tau?
The people of Johannesburg need a bold, new vision to deal with this housing crisis.
I believe that a home with access to basic services for everyone is non-negotiable.
A house is more than simply four walls and a roof - it is the basis for creating a home and a safe space to live. This need is universal, and dignified housing is a right that every South African should be able to realise.
If elected mayor, I will do four major things to turn around Johannesburg’s housing crisis:
I will fast-track home ownership by giving thousands of people title deeds. This provides homeowners with an important economic asset to leverage. In the 2013/14 financial year the DA-run City of Cape Town delivered over 6151 title deeds, while the City of Johannesburg delivered zero.
I will stop housing list corruption. The process of selecting beneficiaries will be transparent, open, and fair. The list will be available for anyone to see.
I will plan more housing developments, together with other departments and spheres of government, to ensure that recipients receive high quality homes, built by qualified contractors - homes that will last over time.
I will plan housing developments as close as possible to transport and education facilities, and economic hubs. This will help build an inclusive and integrated city and improve service delivery.
The people of Johannesburg need to decide if they want another five years of broken promises under Parks Tau and his ANC cronies, or if they want to unite behind a new vision for change.
Change that will create jobs, stop corruption, and ensure the delivery of quality basic services to all.
The people living in informal settlements have lost trust in the ANC administration. They are sick and tired of the lies and broken promises that have plagued Tau’s term in office.
On 3 August the people of Johannesburg have the opportunity to end the rot that has set in and vote for change that will move Johannesburg forward.
Issued by Nkele Molapo, Media Officer, 20 July 2016
