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Kubayi talks tough on lawlessness and poor-performing contractors

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Kubayi talks tough on lawlessness and poor-performing contractors:

The days of contractors abandoning government housing projects are over and people invading private properties must come to an end.

This was the warning from Human Settlements Minister, Mmamoloko Kubayi, during a recent community engagement and hand over of title deeds at the Dan Tloome Mega Human Settlements Project in Johannesburg.

Kubayi’s tough stance on lawlessness followed as the qualifying beneficiaries complained about not being allocated houses, while their houses are being invaded. 

“We are acting against invaders of private properties. Please do us a favour and move out of a house or property that does not belong to you,” Kubayi told illegal occupants.

Regarding the projects that have not been completed on time, Kubayi warned contractors that the days of not completing work on time and within budget are over, saying it has cost the government millions with already limited resources “thus denying people of their constitutional rights of access to adequate housing”.

“My appeal to all contractors is please help us to hand over finished houses to beneficiaries [and] if you are subcontracting, please do the work. My mandate is to deliver a finished house,” Kubayi said.

While this development is a step in the right direction, Kubayi was adamant that there should not even be a single project that is delayed or blocked due to contractors not honouring their contractual obligations.

Gauteng Human Settlements and Infrastructure Development MEC, Lebogang Maile, issued a stern warning to poor-performing contractors, saying their actions work against government’s commitment to provide housing for the poor.

“We cannot have a contractor that fails to deliver and still be kept onsite. The resources we use belong to the people and must be used for their benefits, nothing else,” Maile said.

Before the community engagement where title deeds were issued to several beneficiaries, Kubayi, Maile and the City of Johannesburg Mayor, Kabelo Gwamanda, launched two social housing projects, named the Ekhaya Gardens and Fochville Social Housing.

Ekhaya Gardens has a total of 333 units and is close to Roodepoort Central Business District, while the Fochville Social Housing, with a capacity of 258 units, is strategically placed within the mining and industrial sectors of the greater West Rand Municipality.

The two social housing projects will provide much-needed decent and affordable rental accommodation to people earning between R1 850 and R22 000 per month. 

The launch comes a few days after the successful launch of Townlands in Tshwane, the current largest social housing project in the country with 1 200 units.

Between 2019 and 2024, the Department of Human Settlements through its agency, the Social Housing Regulatory Authority (SHRA), has managed to deliver over 13 000 units resulting in close to 50 000 rental and affordable units delivered over the years. – SAnews.gov.za

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The Maboneng Precinct: Architecture

Maboneng is architecturally distinct because it rejects the “demolish and rebuild” philosophy. Instead, it embraces adaptive reuse. The Bioscope, South Africa’s only independent cinema, operates out of an old industrial space; The Living Room is a lush rooftop oasis that offers panoramic views of the skyline from atop a concrete shell; and the Museum of African Design (MOAD) was housed in a massive 1970s warehouse. This aesthetic—exposed brick, industrial steel, and vibrant street art—has become the visual shorthand for “cool” Johannesburg. The murals here are particularly significant; they aren’t just decoration but are often massive social commentaries by local and international street artists like Faith47 and ROA, turning the very walls of the city into a public gallery.

However, Maboneng is also at the center of a complex debate regarding gentrification and social integration. Critics argue that while the precinct is a “bubble” of safety and creativity, it often stands in stark contrast to the surrounding poverty of the inner city. The challenge for Maboneng has always been how to be an engine for economic growth without alienating the residents who lived there during the “dark” years. In response, many initiatives within the precinct focus on local entrepreneurship, such as the Market on Main, which provides a platform for local food vendors and designers every Sunday.