Dawn president visits Helen Joseph Women’s Hostel to check on progress made
ALEXANDRA – The aim of the recent visit was to follow up on progress made and to engage with residents.
The president of the Democratic Alliance Women’s Network (Dawn), Nomafrench Mbombo, said although the living conditions at the dilapidated women’s hostel in Alexandra were bad, she was happy with the efforts made the City of Johannesburg to refurbish the hostel.
In February this year, DA member in parliament Phumzile van Damme visited the Helen Joseph Women’s Hostel to see the conditions in which the women, the majority of whom are senior citizens, were living in. The visit was reported in the article Matter for limelight in Alex News, [Week ending 18 January]. After her inspection, Van Damme promised to take residents’ grievances to the office of the City of Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba. Communications officer for the mayor’s office, Omogolo Taunyane, said they are still investigating if the matter was reported to the office by Van Damme.
Mbombo’s aim of the recent visit was to follow up on progress made and to engage with residents on the issues that women face day by day. “I’m told that the City of Johannesburg is currently working hard to restore residents dignity by providing services needs like lights and proper sanitation.
“Our PR councillor responsible for this area told me that the City has appointed the company to clean the hostel every day, restore lights and fix sewerage pipes. I also engaged with residents told me how terrible the situation was before Phumzile’s visit in January.”
Lulama Mfobo, a resident at the hostel, told Mbombo that the hostel received attention from the City of Johannesburg after Van Damme’s visit. “We were forgotten and neglected until Phumzile paid us a visit in January this year. We’ve seen some improvement in services delivery in the hostel.
The lights and sewerage pipes which were the most pressing issues in the hostel are currently being fixed as we speak. A company that cleans the hostel has been brought in and garbage is being collected every week,” she said.
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