New start for families after Zithobeni relocation
Residents living in dangerous conditions at Zithobeni hostel have been relocated to safer, serviced areas, marking progress in improving housing and living standards.
A total of 87 families were relocated on December 8 from the dilapidated and unsafe Zithobeni hostel to new serviced stands.
According to MMC for Human Settlements Alderman Aaron Maluleka, who led the demolition, this marked another important step in the metro’s commitment to providing safe, lawful, and dignified living environments for all residents.
“Families who had been residing in the hostel have now been successfully relocated to serviced stands in Zithobeni Heights Ext 1 and Zithobeni Proper,” Maluleka said.
He said these areas offer improved living conditions and access to essential municipal services, ensuring that families are able to rebuild their lives in environments that support health, stability, and human dignity.
Maluleka said the Zithobeni Hostel has, for many years, been identified as structurally unsafe and unfit for human habitation.
“Its demolition is therefore both a safety imperative and a moral obligation.”
He added that the intervention reflects the metro’s determination to eradicate outdated, unsafe, and undignified accommodation, replacing it with developments that comply with building standards and honour the constitutional rights of residents.
“This work forms part of the broader human settlements’ transformation programme of the multi-party coalition government, which has placed the creation of safe, lawful and dignified housing at the centre of its service delivery agenda.”
Maluleka concluded that the metro remains unwavering in its commitment to reshaping communities, restoring dignity, and ensuring that every resident has access to environments that support secure and decent living standards.
WATCH: Zithobeni Hostel dwellers relocated to safer serviced stands. Video: Supplied pic.twitter.com/rzgH6zcTaV
— Pretoria Rekord (@RekordNewspaper) December 10, 2025
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