Johannesburg social housing tenants handover MoD at premier’s office
NEWTOWN – Tenants feel that Joburg Mayor Herman Mashaba failed them and they took their memorandum to Premier David Makhura.
Residents of Johannesburg Social Housing Company (Joshco) handed their second memorandum to the Gauteng government, even though Premier David Makhura was unavailable.
Joshco tenants from across the City of Johannesburg marched to Makhura’s office in Newtown to hand over a memorandum with a list of their demands.
This was the second memorandum in two months that tenants from Kliptown, Jabulani, Florida, Fluerhorf and Alexandra marched to the government offices to demand ownership of the flats.
According to Joshco, units are rent only, but tenants say they will stop paying rent for the rest of their lives claiming that it has become expensive.
Doctor Motsoeneng, a leader of Kliptown Flats, said they’ve been asking for a meeting with Joshco management to ask them to consider their plight and also to give them ownership of the units but to no avail.
Motsoeneng cited unemployment as one major reason they demand title deeds because the government has ‘failed’ to provide them with proper houses like RDPs claiming they can’t afford bond houses.
“Rent is expensive and they [Joshco] claim these are social houses but they collect a huge amount of rent from the unemployed tenants,” Motsoeneng said.
“In March we handed a memorandum to the City of Johannesburg but were responded by Joshco. Joshco has failed us but they want to respond to the memorandum that was not even intended for them, thus we demand Makhura to assist us.”
Most tenants have stopped paying rent because they claim the government overlooks them even if there are RDP house available.
They threaten to protest rent forever and Motsoeneng said they will also shut down the entire Gauteng province until their demands are met.
From the premier’s office, Margarete Tloane, received the memorandum on behalf of Makhura.
“The premier is keen to meet with you so that he can understand what your grievances are but unfortunately he had to attend a funeral.
“I promise to hand him this memorandum and we’ll definitely invite all your leaders as well as all other stakeholders to discuss the demands in the memorandum,” said Tloane.
Details: Doc Motsoeneng 078 956 5930.
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