Residents of Ward 127 were warned that electricity infrastructure will not be restored in areas where most households are not paying for power, as housing allocation and stalled projects dominated a heated community meeting last week.

Officials from the City of Joburg’s Department of Human Settlements, the Johannesburg Social Housing Company (Joscho), City Power and the City’s Group Forensic and Investigation Service met residents at Roodepoort City Hall on February 18 to address mounting frustrations over housing delays and service delivery.

Electricity warning

City Power’s Sibusiso Nkala told residents that property owners are now responsible for their own service cables. He warned that if a transformer is damaged, it will not be repaired or replaced if at least 80% of affected households are not purchasing electricity or are using illegal connections.

Goud Rand housing allocations

Deputy director for Allocation Thabo Tofile provided an update on the Goud Rand housing project, which began in 2015. Tofile said the following areas will benefit from this project: Braamfischerville informal settlement, Florida, Roodepoort (1996 and 1997 applicants), Sol Plaatjie informal settlement, Zamimpilo, Skomplaas informal settlement, Vivo, Dunusa, Leratong Village and Plot 8, as well as special cases such as elderly residents, people with disabilities and child-headed households.

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Stalled Matholesville developments

Joscho representative Melusi Ndimande addressed concerns about incomplete projects in Matholesville, including the Rugby Club and School Side informal settlements.

He said the contractor appointed for both projects failed to deliver, causing significant delays. Work at Rugby Club has progressed only to household surveys, township layout and social compact stages, with land surveying still outstanding. At School Side, only four initial phases were completed before the project stalled.

Ndimande said if the projects remain within the department’s active portfolio, budgets would need to be reviewed and a new contractor appointed.

Reporting corruption and hijacked buildings

Emmanuel Lepako from the City’s Group Forensic and Investigation Service urged residents to report hijacked buildings, illegal connections, fraud and corruption anonymously via the City’s whistleblowing hotline.

Residents were also invited to attend the next Integrated Development Plan (IDP) meeting on March 28.