Newclare residents face severe housing crisis
Decades of neglect have left Newclare's city-owned flats in disrepair, with crumbling infrastructure, overcrowding, and unpaid services worsening the crisis, leading to residents and local leaders calling for urgent action.
Residents in Newclare, Region B, are facing dire housing conditions, as decades of neglect have led to the severe deterioration of city-owned flats.
Johannesburg DA councillor Andrew Marais has raised concerns over the acute shortage of social housing, compounded by the deteriorating state of existing city-owned buildings.
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Marais highlighted that much of the city’s housing stock consists of ageing apartment blocks, which have suffered from years of neglected maintenance and repair.
Overcrowding has further exacerbated the problem, placing excessive strain on outdated and deteriorating infrastructure, including electricity, water, and sanitation systems. “These buildings are in dire need of upgrading and repair,” he stated.
Adding to the crisis, many residents in city-owned flats have stopped paying rent and municipal service fees, due to past promises that ownership of the units would be transferred to them. Marais warned that this situation is financially unsustainable and has contributed to the buildings’ poor condition. “The city does not have the resources to carry these costs indefinitely,” he said, emphasising the need to distinguish between residents who can afford to pay for upkeep, and those who genuinely require financial assistance.
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Ward 82 health portfolio committee member Bernadette Lewis, who resides in Gertrude Flats, described the appalling living conditions, caused by failing infrastructure. “Every time the complex has a sewage issue, it ends up in front of our door,” she said. Lewis, who lives with her elderly mother and three children, shared that leaks from upper floors seep through the walls and ceilings, causing significant damage to lower units.
A walk through Newclare’s flats reveals a grim reality: Structural damage, plumbing failures, electrical hazards, and rooves in disrepair. Residents also struggle with inadequate heating, pest infestations, and ongoing safety concerns due to the buildings’ age – many of which are over 60 years old. The lack of maintenance has left these homes vulnerable to the elements, with rainwater seeping through broken gutters, windows, and door frames.
Addressing the crisis, Marais stressed the need for a significant investment in housing, acknowledging that the government alone cannot meet this financial burden. He proposed the establishment of a housing corporation within the ward, to provide social and subsidised housing through a public-private partnership.
This corporation would function independently of the municipality, managing its own budget and operations. Marais suggested that a professional property management consultant be engaged to develop a sustainable housing model.
The Northcliff Melville Times did approach Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) on the housing issue, however no comment was forthcoming by time of going to print.
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