Occupants call out Joshco for failing them
"We want to be addressed about these things. Since we moved in there, it has been one issue after another."
Outraged JOSHCO occupants from the Dobsonville project took their grievances to the Minister of Human Settlements, Mmamoloko Kubayi at the Lufhereng Social Housing Project launch in Soweto.
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The residents staged a peaceful demonstration, holding up placards a few meters from the proceedings where Kubayi delivered the key note address on Friday.
The group said they were dissatisfied with the appalling conditions at their Joshco housing units, which they say are poorly maintained with mould on ceilings, plumbing issues which cause water leaks, hanging electrical wiring and security concerns.
“There are many issues and that is why we concluded that the minister is the only one who can address this. When we talk to Joshco, they don’t have a sense of urgency. All the same thing they are promising here is what was promised to us, three years ago, but what we are seeing at our units is a real shame,” said Committee member, Faith Tsotesi.
Another occupant, Lebo Setlhodi echoed the sentiments citing that the unsafe conditions were a major high-risk as many families lived with children in the units.
Setlhodi, also a part of the committee claims that Joshco assigned architects on separate occasions to assess the units, however they never heard back from the company on its resolution to the findings.
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“The plumbing system of the project is a dismal failure. Joscho sent architects last year who told us about the dangers of the plumbing at our units. They then sent a different guy again but nothing happened after that. We want to be addressed about these things. Since we moved in there, it has been one issue after another,” he told Urban News.
The group welcomed the agreement to meet with officials from the minister’s office, SHRA and JOSHCO in the next week to address their concerns.
Speaking to the occupants, Minister Kubayi assured them that the matter would be looked into and their concerns addressed.
“I will call the team to come into the meeting to do the report to see how we can address your concerns because this is not what we want to see.
“We at a national level will also look into the matter and they will get back to me with the report following the meeting because I will need to know what has happened, and if Joshco has violated any conditions, I will need to get accountability,” she told the group.
