The health and safety of residents at Helen Joseph Women’s Hostel is at risk despite a R6.4 million injection for its revamping.
The condition of the hostel built in the 70s and managed by the City of Johannesburg, is deplorable and unfit for human habitation. Residents claim the hostel was intended to house 3 000 occupants, but 4 800 women and children reside there, many sharing small rooms.
They claim the situation worsened from 2012 when raw sewage spilled from pipes polluting the air and soil making it difficult to dry their laundry outside or open windows to ventilate their rooms. Also, the continuous power cuts inhibit them from operating household appliances.
“We pay R200 for rent monthly, but are neglected even with a councillor staying here,” said Lulama Mfobo, a long time resident. “Some elderly residents have even broken their legs walking up the stairs in the dark. To our surprise men’s hostels receive better services and have been converted into habitable family dwellings.”
She added that attempts were always made to rectify the problems, but these were cosmetic.
Ward councillor Ambie Maseko concurred and said the city council allocated the hostel a budget annually for maintenance, but the problems persisted because it hired inexperienced and unsupervised contractors.
Andrew Cadman, a legal practitioner providing free services to Alexandra residents said, “The hostel was condemned in 2010 and can be made habitable only after major renovations. In the last five years seven companies were allocated R3.8 million for electric work and one company got R2.6 million for development work, but the conditions have not improved. This is a scandal and abuse of taxpayers’ money.”
In a recent visit, Cope MP Dennis Bloem said the conditions were a serious health risk from water pollution and there was a chance of a cholera outbreak, especially for children playing on polluted ground. “We have complained to the human rights commission and expect them to act or we will approach the Public Protector,” he said.
The DA’s MPL Janet Sample said the Public Protector had already been informed.
The city council’s 2014/15 integrated development plan has again allocated R7 million for the hostel’s refurbishment.
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