Gauteng housing crisis deepens as residents protest with impepho burning in Braamfontein

Tensions escalated in Johannesburg on Thursday, as City Coordinator !Xam Keith Duarte of the Gauteng Housing Crisis Committee (GHCC) led a demonstration outside the Braamfontein municipality offices, burning impepho, to highlight the plight of residents who have waited three decades for housing allocation.

The protest centres on allegations of discriminatory housing practices and the controversial Southern Farms mega housing project in the south of Johannesburg.

Duarte emphasised the need for equitable distribution across all racial groups.

“Houses must be allocated to black people, white people, coloured people; it [constitution] says [housing must be given] to [all] South Africans, and we believe it must be allocated equally. So yes, that’s the reason we are here to address the unequal allocations,” Duarte told The Citizen during the demonstration.

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Southern Farms housing controversy

The Southern Farms development, located near Alvarado Park, has become a flashpoint of contention.

According to Duarte, certain communities have been deliberately excluded from the project.

“We’ve been excluded by Southern Farms purposely because it’s a political ploy. Now I’m here also to address Southern Farms in saying nothing can happen at Southern Farms without us,” he stated.

The situation has a complex history, with Duarte revealing previous legal confrontations.

“We were even sent an interdict by the then MEC Lebo Khang, by Eldorado Park for an interdict. We were taken to the High Court. But now you find at this point in time that you want to exclude Eldorado Park from Southern Farms.”

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Constitutional rights and legislative compliance

Duarte emphasised that their demands are rooted in existing legislation.

“The request that we are making to the City of Johannesburg is that nothing else than [for] City of Johannesburg [to] follow legislation. That’s all we are saying. We are keeping you to your own policies,” he explained.

The GHCC coordinator further stressed the constitutional implications of current allocation practices.

“Do equality allocations. Do not do discriminatory or racist allocations. You are violating our constitutional right.”

Three decades of housing allocation frustration

In their official media statement, the GHCC expressed deep concern about the state of housing thirty years after democracy.

The organisation highlighted multiple issues beyond housing allocation, including the maintenance of ageing units, employment opportunities, and economic challenges within affected communities.

The statement particularly criticised the City of Johannesburg’s communication approach, citing “lies, misinformation and divide and rule tactics” while noting that community attempts to engage with city officials have been consistently ignored or dismissed.

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Informal settlement upgrades perpetuate illegality

The Crisis Committee also raised concerns about the current policy focusing on informal settlement upgrades, arguing this effectively rewards illegal occupation.

“Illegality is rewarded while we, with three and four generations shoe-horned into old
and dilapidated housing units,” Duarte stressed.

They specifically mentioned issues with the Fleurhof Housing Development, where allegations of corruption have surfaced in the allocation process.

The GHCC concluded their statement with a clear warning to both provincial and city authorities, demanding engagement for collaborative solutions.

“We will no longer be ignored and pushed aside simply because we are law-abiding people.”

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