Toekoms houses in disrepair

Residents at Toekoms residential housing on Ninth Street have become frustrated over the municipality’s lack of answers to their many problems.
Many houses are in a state of disrepair and, despite many queries sent to the Department of Housing, the residents have not received any help or satisfactory answers.
Some houses sit with leaking pipes, leaking taps, missing and heavily damaged doors and sagging ceilings.

Also read: Bakerton residents express dissatisfaction with metro over power woes

“I have had this problem with my ceiling for many years now and I have gone to the housing department many times but they do nothing.
“The ceiling was almost falling on me and it finally came to a point where I had to fix it myself.
“I’m a pensioner so it wasn’t easy for me to afford to do all of that,” said resident Richard Davis.
Some houses suffer from severe plumbing issues.

Charmaine Wilhase’s sink is constantly leaking and overflowing, and there are cracks in her kitchen wall.
Resident Dan Swarts alleges while their housing woes are not being addressed, similar issues plaguing homes that are not occupied, as well as those occupied by people who have previously worked for the municipality, have been attended to.
“They are playing favouritism and we are the ones who suffer,” said Swarts.

Also read: Metro partially opens libraries

Paint is peeling off the walls in Mike Adendorff’s house and he has been forced to repaint the walls himself.
The home has also had a broken window for six months.
“They don’t want to help us, so I’ve had to start painting it myself, but I’m on pension so I can only afford so much paint.”
Comment requested from the City of Ekurhuleni will be published once it has been received.

Follow us on social media: