Alexandra container homes will only be allocated after engineers declare them safe: MMC Mabaso

Alexandra residents who have been fighting to occupy the City of Johannesburg container homes might have to wait a little longer before they are allocated the units.

MMC for human settlements Mlungisi Mabaso indicated he would only allocate the container units, that have been unoccupied for almost four years, after they have been refurbished and declared safe by engineers.

Mabaso was met by a group of enraged residents singing struggle songs outside the gate to the container flats in Marlboro when he visited Alexandra township to assess the state of the containers on Friday afternoon.

The container homes were built as temporary Covid-19 shelters (TCS).

Four years later, the homes are yet to be allocated to residents. These shelters recently came to light when EFFPR councillor Moshe Mphahlele was fatally shot during a scuffle between law enforcement and residents. 

At the time, authorities allegedly forcefully removed residents who invaded the homes after complaining that the city was taking too long to allocate the units. 

While one site close to the Madala hostel was declared safe and ready for occupation, container units at two sites in the Marlboro area are yet to be allocated to residents. 

“These units got invaded last year and the city was able to evict [invaders] earlier this year. After that, we obtained interdicts for all the sites so that we prevent further invasions.

“Today we are here because we need to assess the damage. After we have assessed the damage, then we need to fix whatever is broken because we need to allocate at the end of it all and we understand the frustration from the community,” Mabaso said.

He said the site had been under construction for almost four years and had been marred by challenges and impatient residents who had tried to forcefully move into the units.

“The other side of Madala hostel — because we have not experienced any challenges — they are done. The certificates are ready for allocation. We will be addressing the community there because we are preparing for allocation. 

“But with these two sites we have been encountering these challenges which have become a serious hindrance for us in terms of progress,” he said. 

Mabaso said they would assess the damage caused by the invasions and he would not allow anyone to occupy those container homes until they were certifiedready for occupation.

He said engineers must declare them safe before people can occupy them.

“It becomes a problem when you push people to illegally occupy structures that are not complete, you are placing their lives at risk. Should anything happen then who should be accountable? — that's why we need to engage with the public. The units are not ready for occupation,” he said.

Nokwazi Mtshali from Johannesburg Social Housing Company (JOSHCO) said they visited the site after the latest evictions and conducted inspections. 

“We understand the frustration of the community. The project has been going on for some time over the last four years we have been on the ground,” she said. 

During the assessments, it was established there was minimal damage to the units which included broken doors and damaged geysers. 

One of the community leaders who has been at the forefront of the fight to occupy the container homes said residents couldn't wait any longer. 

Harry Modiba said last week they submitted their memorandum to the mayor Dada Morero. “It is very difficult to find a proper home in Alexandra. There are no places where we can stay so this is the only place that they have built for us and we need to move in,” he said.

He added that residents were impatient and couldn't wait any longer and were expecting the city to allocate those units to them. 

Another community representative, Lazarus Lefika, said residents needed homes and Mabaso asking them to wait a little longer would just cause more frustration. 

“They are telling us about renovations. What are renovations when people have stayed here before? There is no danger here, they stayed here for two months. Why has no-one died in these containers in that time?” he asked.

He added that renovations were just a luxury and people who are allocated the units could repair any damage there might be. 

“We need a place to stay. Why now all of a sudden are we being told about engineers? We stayed here for over a month but no-one has died,” he said. 

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