The City of Johannesburg has ring-fenced R28.8m for upgrades to the Helen Joseph Women’s Hostel, as part of efforts to improve living conditions for residents at one of Alexandra’s old and crumbling facilities.

MMC for Finance Loyiso Masuku revealed that the allocation forms part of the city’s medium-term budget framework, and will take effect from July 1. It will target critical infrastructure challenges, including the hostel’s failing showers, toilets, and sanitation systems.

Read more: Sewer upgrade at Helen Joseph Hostel crawls forward

Speaking after their door-to-door campaign, led by the ANC’s regional structure and Deputy President Paul Mashatile, Masuku said the budget would directly address long-standing challenges faced by residents. Some of these challenges were raised during Masuku and Mashatile’s visit to the women’s hostel.
An additional R6.5m has been earmarked to upgrade the nearby Madala Hostel, which, like the women’s hostel, continues to experience a host of issues related to its dilapidated infrastructure.

Masuku said the allocations are about safety, dignity, and the provision of homely environments for hostel dwellers. “[Mashatile] said that we need to improve the pace of delivery there.”

The Helen Joseph Women’s Hostel has long been flagged for its ageing infrastructure. Last year, the dire state of its sewerage system prompted the city’s human settlement department to launch a R9m sewer reticulation project to replace the hostel’s 850m of ageing pipeline.

The project, which is currently underway, has already missed its initial six-month deadline due to multiple setbacks, including unfavourable weather conditions, according to the project’s community liaison officer Selina Nkuna.

Despite this, and other previous allocations, residents are yet to see major improvements that signal better living conditions. Meanwhile, residents have repeatedly voiced concerns about the current state of the hostel, including non-functional taps, water shortages, and sanitation problems.

Also read: Helen Joseph Hostel to receive long-awaited sewer upgrade

Even opposition parties, including the Democratic Alliance and Action SA, have previously highlighted the facility’s state, describing it as unfit for occupation. However, some of these challenges are not confined to hostels. Alexandra, as a whole, continues to grapple with a multitude of service delivery challenges.

These challenges reflect wider service delivery struggles across Alexandra. In River Park, one of the areas Mashatile visited, resident Moirah Mahlase said power outages have lasted for weeks, leaving residents feeling neglected despite City Power’s explanation of a vandalised mini-substation switch.

Both Masuku and Mashatile acknowledged that electricity and water challenges continue to plague residents. Masuku confirmed that the broader 2026/27 budget will direct resources toward road infrastructure, electricity, and water upgrades.

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