A City of Johannesburg Media Statement by
MMC for Housing, Cllr Meshack Van Wyk
Accommodation units at Wembley Stadium improving residents’ living conditions
Date: 13 July 2018
Release: immediate
MMC for Housing Cllr Meshack Van Wyk, conducted an oversight visit at the recently completed accommodation units located at Wembley Stadium.
The City initially provided temporary emergency accommodation following a July 2017 court order which instructed the City to house people who were evicted from Fattis Mansion by 1 October. The other residents who were provided for were affected by a fire at Cape York building in the Inner City.
After considering the unsustainable living conditions in the tents, the Department resolved to provide 70 prefabricated units with full ablution facilities, running water and electricity as a remedy to the matter. The units are comprised of 28 family units and 23 single occupation units.
What gives me pleasure is hearing that we have managed to change people’s lives as a department. It may have been a challenging project, but I am glad we are at this stage right now.” MMC Van Wyk said.
“It also gives me great pleasure to receive a written acknowledgement of the work done from Socio Economic Rights Institute (SERI) who had taken us to court on the matter of allocating their clients into this Temporary Emergency Accommodation (TEA).”
The City recognizes the need to provide our most indigent residents with the dignity of a place to live, work and play.
A major challenge towards providing safe and affordable housing is in the Inner City is the poor living conditions of approximately 30 000 residents residing in bad buildings.
In response to this, Council has approved 71 city-owned properties that will contribute turning the inner city into a construction site to develop affordable social housing, student accommodation and small business premises.
The Inner City Transformation Roadmap is one of the ways the multi-party coalition shows its commitment towards being a responsive and effective administration for the benefit of our residents.
Media Enquiries:
Willington Simelane
Stakeholder Liaison Manager: Office of the MMC for Housing
Cell: 071 865 2920
Email: willingtons@joburg.org.za
