MMC for
Housing, Cllr Meshack Van Wyk, recently joined the City of Johannesburg’s
Housing department on one of its final public participation drives bringing the
draft housing allocation policy, serviced sites policy, and the temporary
emergency accommodation policy to our residents.
The three
policies seek to guide and provide clear processes in how the department
proposes to allocate beneficiaries to RDP houses, how it proposes to implement
the new directive of giving people serviced sites to build their own homes, and
how to better deal with providing temporary emergency accommodation to those in
need.
Considering
the housing backlog of 300 000 units in Johannesburg, better solutions, like
that of our Inner City Rejuvenation Programme, were needed.
To this effect,
the allocations policy proposes that City move from ward based allocations to a
first come first served basis. For applicants, this will finally deliver
housing to people who have been waiting for over 2 decades. It also means
residents can be allocated a house anywhere within the City and not based on
where they currently reside.
The
serviced sites policy proposes an entirely new offering to those who are able
to build their own homes, but need serviced stands to do so.
The
temporary emergency accommodation policy is aimed at those who find themselves
homeless due to an emergency. It clarifies the City’s obligations to residents
in this case.
Furthermore,
the draft policies will ensure greater transparency during the allocation
process, denying criminals the opportunity of queue jumping, fraud and
corruption.
“There
were heart-warming sentiments expressed that this was the first time that
marginalised groups were being afforded an opportunity to engage on housing
issues. The community at large was impressed with the commitment and manner in
which the current administration is engaging communities,” MMC said.
“I believe these policies will drive Johannesburg toward a city that is capable of answering future housing needs, and not only playing catch-up to an inherited backlog.https://www.joburg.org.za/media_/Pages/Media/Mayoral%20Newsletter/Mashaba%20On%20Point%20October%202019/City-of-Joburg-finalising-public-participation-drive-for-three-new-Housing-policies.aspx
