The hostel is home to about 3000 women and children. Their plight, highlighted by this paper in a previous article (R6.4 million wasted on Helen Joseph hostel revamp, week ending 9 May 2014), includes sewage in the courtyard and next to kitchens, risk of injury in dark hallways and stairs from erratic electricity supply, and small rooms shared by families denying them privacy.
The South African Human Rights Commission has now intervened on their behalf, following political parties’ complaints and revelations of expensive wastage of public resources spent on contracts.
According to the Democratic Alliance, the commission has released a report which indicts the City of Joburg, which is responsible for the maintenance and management of the hostel. The DA said the report cites the city for failure to intervene and for an unreasonable delay in implementing plans to rectify the situation, which relates to health and safety risks from the sewage, rats, and exposure to electrical wires, as well as mountains of rubbish from the sewage waste and windows with no panes.
The DA added that the city’s failure violates the residents’ right to dignity, housing, access to healthcare, food, water and social security, as well as children’s rights, just administrative action and the right to information.
The DA added that the report also questioned the competence and suitability of the councillor in whose ward the hostel is located. The ward is 107 and the councillor is Ambe Maseko.
Acknowledging the failed work, councillor Maseko said the problem was that the city had engaged inexperienced contractors who worked unsupervised. She added that a budget has been allocated this financial year to complete the work but couldn’t elaborate on measures to safeguard against shoddy workmanship. The council’s 2014/15 Integrated Development Plan indicates an allocation of R7 million for the hostel’s refurbishment, but there is no concrete work taking place at the moment.
A resident, Lulama Mfobo, who has been at the hostel for about 20 years, said the situation has been dire for a long time, but despite the conditions, the residents pay R200 monthly rent as they have no alternative for shelter.
The city’s Department of Housing couldn’t be reached for comment.
