Deadlock on Bothlabela flats occupation

The Bothlabela Extension 2 flats in Eastbank are now illegally occupied by members of the bonafides movement.

This after many months of battles between the Johannesburg Development Agency [JDA] and its predecessor, the Alexandra Renewal Project [ARP]. This also after the three phases of the blocks of flats remained unoccupied for months following their completion. According to the JDA, the flats were constructed under a bank bond and for an income group within Alexandra that would afford them under a home ownership scheme. The flats are part of the overall housing development under the reconstruction and development programme, which has constructed other houses for rent or for free to other income groups obliged to only pay for electricity, water and levies.

Members of the bonafides group and others in the housing waiting list and transit camps allege that most RDP houses were inadequate and some were allocated to people not in the waiting list, suggesting corruption and bribery by officials. This resulted in initially unsuccessful attempts to occupy the flats until recently when they invaded and occupied all three phases of the blocks.

The police, JDA and the MMC for housing Bonakele Bovu met the occupants last week after failed attempts to evict them. Tsietsi Mafale, leader of the bonafides group, said their occupation was justified due to the shortage of housing, suspected illegal occupations of RDP houses, government’s reneging on its promise for speedy provision of housing when completed ones were left vacant for too long with unclear conditions for their occupancy, and suspected corruption in the housing development programme.

The department of housing has conducted an audit to determine the accuracy of alleged illegal occupations. The MMC has indicated that the audit report, which is still be released, will clarify the matter. He added that the report also reveals complicity on the part of some residents who rented the houses for income.

Mafale said their organisation was conducting its own assessment on the illegal occupations. “The findings will assist to verify our allegations of corrupt allocation practices and also to strengthen our demand to be the legal home owners of the flats.We are prepared to pay for the services like occupants of other RDP housing development schemes.” The group is anticipating a follow-up meeting with the MMC and his delegation and hopes to resolve this housing dilemma soon.