Joburg Property Company mum on corruption claims

According to DA councillor Percy Koji, living conditions at the Cape York building – managed by Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) – were unbearable. This despite the City of Johannesburg reportedly allocating funds to the company to help transform the building in a more livable state, North Eastern Tribune reported.

Koji claimed JPC had hired VMQ Property Services to clean the building, with 10 employees working three days a week. According to Koji, VMQ manager, Vatiswa Mjiba, told him the building was owned by the Bank of Mozambique and the custodian was the department of economic development.

“[Majiba] has been the facility’s manager for five months now… reporting to Johannesburg Property Company. She said that the City set aside a budget in appointing her company to help get the building in a more livable state. She said that the city’s reason for this was because the building falls within their jurisdiction,” he said.

Koji, who visited the building, said he saw the inhumane living conditions. “There was no electricity; few toilets to be shared amongst all the residents; people were sleeping in passages on the floor; rodents and cockroaches roamed amidst people. All this was coupled with an unbearable smell.”

Koji stated there was no tender process prior to the awarding of the contract and that the city, along with the company, had refused to divulge the duration and exact amount of the contract.

Mjiba said: “We do not have the authority to respond to you directly, however, I have forwarded your queries to our client and Betsy Malope [project manager at City of Joburg Property Company] copied on the same email will be able to respond to you.”

Mjiba refused to respond to further queries.

– Caxton News Service