ICYMI: Over 1 000 Diepsloot residents will receive temporary housing

The City of Johannesburg plans to create temporary housing structures for over 1 000 Dieplsoot residents in the next three months, to help address overcrowding in the township.

City of Johannesburg Mayor Geoff Makhubo and MMC for Housing Mlungisi Mabaso unveiled the site for the new project, on the corner of William Nicol Drive and Summit Road, on 10 July.

A number of informal settlements around the city have been identified as overcrowded. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the dramatic increase in infections, temporary residential units are required to help ease congestion and curb the spread of the virus.Mabaso said that there will be 1 108 temporary housing units built on the piece of land.

He explained that those who are already on the list for RDP (reconstruction and development programme) houses will be identified to move into the structures. He added that they would also be working on upgrading informal settlements.

A variety of different structures are being used at the relocation sites across the city, however, in the Diepsloot location, cement prefabs will be constructed. Seven contractors have been appointed for the work and they will begin work as soon as possible.”While we are decongesting and relocating, we are also trying to upgrade our informal settlements. It’s not only about de-densifying but upgrading. Those people that will be relocated to these temporary structures at the end of the day must be allocated to permanent structures.”

Makhubo said, “It’s the beginning of a much bigger investment in an effort to decongest Diepsloot.”A responsible government has to intervene somehow, so we decided to have an interim measure while we prepare for a long-term measure.”

He said that it is vital to contain the congestion in the area and that there must not be any delays.A group of about 40 Diepsloot residents gathered to protest during the soil-turning ceremony. The residents took the opportunity to raise concerns about service delivery in the area, lack of communication and corruption.

Protesters also said that they believe the companies will bring people from outside the community to work on the project, rather than hiring locals.

Some of these concerns included lack of electricity and proper housing. One protestor, Paisley Radebe, said that he doesn’t believe the temporary housing structures will be enough to decongest the township. “It’s just a gesture, this road [Witkoppen Road] isn’t even completed, how are they going to complete these houses?”

Following the event, Makhubo engaged with the protestors and said a team would be allocated to investigate their concerns.