Following a devastating fire at Madala Hostel in Alexandra, which left nine residents homeless, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng has announced plans to table a motion in the provincial legislature. The motion seeks to compel the Gauteng provincial government to include all 65 hostels, regardless of ownership, into the provincial hostel redevelopment programme, transforming outdated hostel infrastructure into habitable family units with access to basic services.

Read more: The city is working to accommodate Madala Hostel fire victims

DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Human Settlements Mervyn Cirota emphasised the dire conditions at Madala Hostel, which he has repeatedly flagged as inhumane. Despite these concerns, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi responded that Madala Hostel falls under the jurisdiction of the City of Johannesburg, not the provincial government.

Cirota argues that the city lacks the capacity to carry out meaningful redevelopment, even though the Johannesburg council recently approved a hostel redevelopment unitary plan. He questioned the feasibility of the city’s plan, citing the absence of clear timelines, budget details, and implementation strategies. “It is all promises. If they can give a timeline, and the amount of money it is going to cost, who is going to do the job, who is going to monitor it, when it is going to be done, and how it is going to be rolled out, then we can say they’ve got something going.”

Cirota insists that since the provincial government has already begun redeveloping six provincially owned hostels, with a dedicated budget, it makes sense to expand the programme to include city-owned hostels, like Madala. “What we are saying is, all 65 hostels, not only six, must be included in the provincial redevelopment programme. Otherwise, things are just going to get worse.”

Also read: Residents reel after fire destroys multiple rooms at Madala Hostel

In response to questions from Alex News, Terry-Ann Van Eck, spokesperson for the Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements, confirmed that Madala, Helen Joseph Women’s Hostel, and Nobuhle Hostel are all owned by the City of Johannesburg. She clarified that the provincial government is not unwilling to assist, but is legally restricted by the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), which prohibits direct intervention in city-owned properties. “The current PFMA regulations do not allow us to intervene directly in city-owned properties.”

Van Eck explained that Madala Hostel has been incorporated into the strategy that was passed by council to redevelop all city-owned hostels, referring to the hostel revitalisation unitary plan. Despite the DA’s skepticism, MMC for Human Settlements Mlungisi Mabaso hailed the plan as a major step forward. “It allows us to act swiftly in redeveloping the hostels and changing the way these spaces are perceived for the better.”

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