MUNICIPAL DYSFUNCTION: Joburg’s council housing system crumbles into chaos

Johannesburg’s municipal housing system is in disarray, with financial mismanagement and criminal activity causing chaos. Over 11,000 council-owned rental units have vanished into a state of financial instability, leaving thousands of residents on waiting lists while the city shoulders the bill. The council admits the housing stock is unsustainable, with thousands of units sitting idle.

The situation is exacerbated by a vicious cycle: residents neglect maintenance due to non-payment, and the city fails to maintain the buildings due to unpaid rent. As a result, living conditions are dire, with pooled sewage, uncollected garbage, and decaying utilities. Occupants, who often live in squalid conditions, have stopped paying rent, and many refuse to speak on the record due to fear of retaliation from criminal groups who have taken over some flats.

The city claims it cannot repair the damaged buildings because residents are not paying rent, trapping both parties in a standoff while the housing stock deteriorates. One anonymous resident of a council building in South Hills explained that the building had not been maintained for years and that they help maintain it themselves, including fixing lights and appliances, while receiving free water and electricity but experiencing scarce refuse removal and constant danger due to lack of security.

The City of Johannesburg directly manages 21,909 potential units/beds, but only 10,584 are billable. The 21,909 units include 16,392 flats, duplexes, and row houses, 2,318 senior citizen rental units, 3,199 public and staff hostels, and seven temporary emergency accommodation buildings. The city is planning to refurbish five public hostels, 10 blocks of flats, and four senior citizen facilities in 2025/26.

However, the rental income is not covering the necessary maintenance and operating expenses, and the city is relying on patchwork repairs due to limited budget allocations.