​City buildings converted

Issued by: City of Johannesburg
Attention: News Editors
For immediate release:

City buildings converted to accommodate those evicted from unsafe housing.

The City of Johannesburg is currently converting nine buildings in the inner city into interim emergency shelters to accommodate people who have to be vacated from dangerous and unsafe structures.

Details of the City's housing plans for the Inner City are contained in an affidavit presented to the Constitutional Court today Tuesday 28 August 2007 in a case regarding evictions in the Inner City.

The Supreme Court of Appeal earlier this year overturned a decision by the Johannesburg High Court, thus granting the City the right to evict unlawful occupants on certain conditions, in the interest of safety and a healthy environment. This case is now before the Constitutional Court.

In its supporting documents, the City reports extensively on the progress it is making in providing inclusive accommodation in the inner city to meet the housing needs of all sectors of society, including the poor.

The Inner City Regeneration Charter adopted at a city-wide stakeholder summit in May this year agreed on a far-reaching housing plan that will ensure between 50 000 and 75 000 new residential units in or near the inner city by 2015. At least 20 000 of these units must be affordable to households in lower income bands.

The City is finalising an Inner City Housing Action Plan that looks at the current demand for housing and sets out the institutional and financial arrangements required to drive housing delivery. Significant funding was provided for housing while a further R300 million has been set aside for urban regeneration programmes in the Inner City
specifically.

One of the major initiatives in the city is to convert buildings into interim emergency shelters that are safe and habitable. This will be used to accommodate residents who have been moved from unsafe and derelict buildings. A lot of progress has been made on the following buildings which will be available for occupation:
The Old Perm Building in Hillbrow is now being handed over to the Housing Department.
The Chelsea Building in Hillbrow is scheduled to be completed by November 2007.
The MBV Hospital in Joubert Park is being upgrade in two phases - the north wing will be completed by the end of this October while the
second phase on the south wing scheduled for completion by February 2008.
The well-known Hospital Hill building will be converted into transitional/rental accommodation. Construction is expected to commence this November and units will be available for occupation before the end of the City's next June financial year.
Santa Monica Court and Noverna Court are being expropriated by the city and converted into accommodation units.
Muti House has been attached by the City and abandonment agreement is being negotiated with the owner of the property.
Work has started on the refurbishment and conversion on Phase 1 of the BG Alexander Building. This is a joint venture between the Johannesburg Social Housing Company (JOSHCO) and the Madulamoho Housing Association. Upon completion, this building will consist of 228 rooms with shared communal facilities.
The affidavit refers to the extensive consultation and public participation process that the City has undertaken to provide residents and other stakeholders the opportunity to interrogate and comment on
the housing plans.

The Growth and Development Strategy adopted by Johannesburg at a stakeholder summit in 2006 also commits the city to developmental local government through six principles:
proactive absorption of the poor;
facilitated social mobility;
balanced economic growth;
proactive spatial transformation;
farsighted environmental management; and
creative government solutions.

In its submission to the Constitutional Court, the City argues that it has the obligation "to eradicate instances of dangerous living" within its area of jurisdiction. It acted upon expert advice that certain buildings were "time bombs" with real "fire and disease hazards." In the light of this advice, the city's decision to evacuate these buildings can be considered both lawful and rational.

Issued by: Gabu Tugwana
Communication Director
City of Johannesburg
Telephone: 011 407 7162
Telefax: 011 339 1531
Cellular: 082 495 5673