Residents of the Marabastad Townlands Social Housing project recently met with the MMC for Human Settlements, Alderman Aaron Maluleka, over a memorandum containing various complaints.

The memorandum of grievances was submitted to Maluleka’s office by residents, and the grievances relate to service delivery, rent, billing, maintenance and quality of water.

The MMC was Housing Company Tshwane (HCT) CEO, Obakeng Nyundu, COO Mmasaphula Makwela, Ward 58 Councillor Conride Ngoveni and other HCT officials also attended.

Maluleka appealed to the residents for patience and understanding regarding the ongoing situation the city finds itself in, assuring them their memorandum will receive municipal attention.

He said the city needs to maintain strong partnerships with its service providers and that failing to do so will result in the restriction of services.

“The challenges you are facing, we are also facing. I think all of you know the story of Eskom and the City of Tshwane, that we owe R6-billion. We faced charges, so we bought R1-billion of electricity, so we can get revenue and keep our infrastructure operating,” Maluleka said.

“If we don’t pay Eskom, they take us to court. We have a court agreement with them. Failure to pay, they are reinstating charges, and they’ll attach our bank account.”
Maluleka said Rand Water will restrict water services if they do not get paid.

“It’s an issue of cost that we all must carry.

“If we can’t do that, the city will go bankrupt, its assets liquidated, and this building [you] want to live in will disappear, and we all are going to be on the street. We don’t want to do that,” he said.

He insisted that social housing has a future in the city, though its survival is dependent on the community’s willingness to financially support its mandate.

Nyundu told residents that they are in the process of installing water meters in individual households. The quality of water was tested, and the results confirmed that it was consumable.

“Townlands is one of the biggest social housing providers in the country, and a relationship between the city and residents must always exist to fasten and co-ordinate service delivery within the precinct.

“The meeting yesterday has borne fruit in closing a gap between residence and HCT,” said Ward 58 Councillor Conride Ngoveni.

Last year in April, the Marabastad Townlands Social Housing Project was completed and opened to residents. The 1 200-unit multimillion rand mixed-use complex is the largest social housing development in South Africa.

Watch here:

City of Tshwane MMC for Human Settlements Vladimir Aaron Maluleka met with the residents of Townlands Social Housing to address a memorandum of grievances submitted to his office by residents relating to service delivery, rent, billing and quality of water. @maluksa @CityTshwane pic.twitter.com/qDA1r85t6d

— Doreen Mokgolo (@Doreen_Mokgolo) October 7, 2025

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