By Jonk wa Mashamba
news@alexreporter.co.za
leader of National Freedom Party (NFP) has challenged Joberg mayor to visit Madala Hostel in Alexandra to witness dehumanizing living conditions that residents are subjected to.
The member of the NFP’s Interim National Executive Committee (INEC), Mr Irvin Barnes was disturbed by the dilapidated hostel.
This follows his oversight visit in the area recently to assess the state of service delivery and living conditions.
Barnes who was accompanied by the leadership of the party in the City of Johannesburg said the state of living conditions in the area especially in Madala Hostel and in the informal settlements nearby was unacceptable and dehumanizing.
“We were invited by residents of Alexandra to come and see for ourselves terrible and disgusting living conditions in the area. It is disappointing that after 29 years into democracy, our people in hostels and informal settlements are still treated like step-children by their own government.
“Residents of Madala Hostel are subjected to live in an environment that puts their health and their lives in danger. We call upon the newly elected Mayor in the City of Johannesburg, Kabelo Gwamanda to visit the area in order to witness terrible living conditions that residents of Madala Hostel are subjected to because of the lack of service delivery,” he said.
Barnes added that the party had embarked on a mission to visit different communities around the country in order to understand the real issues faced by communities.
“The NFP is currently conducting a feasibility study and a status quo of different communities in different provinces in order to understand the real needs of the people.
“As we prepare for our national elective conference in July this year, we want our policies to speak to the needs of the people,” Barnes concluded.
Thembelihle Nxumalo said they’ve lost hope from government as residents after countless promises were made to relocate them to a safer place.
“We’ve been promised that our hostel will be transformed into a modern housing place since 2010. In 2020 a contractor that meant to build temporary residence was brought, but until today that project has not been completed. We are at our own and no one cares about us.”
Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Housing in the City of Joburg, Cllr Mlungisi Mabaso told Alex Reporter that the delay on Madala Hostel project was as a result of a Special Investigation Unit (SIU) investigation.
Mlungisi said during his visit at Madala Hostel in 2021 when dozens of shacks were gutted in the area.
He said the on-going project in the area could take some time to complete after it was scheduled for completion in October 2020.
He stated that since the project’s inception, there had been investigations by the SIU.
He said the decision was because they had co-operated with the SIU.
“They have been commissioned to investigate all COVID-19-related transactions,” said Mabaso, adding that there were between 725 and 800 units being erected.
He said that the completion date had been revised, indicating that the completion would depend upon the completion of the investigation.
“We have been working with them (SIU) so that if there’s an element of corruption, they will do what is expected to do.”
Mabaso said they wanted to demolish the entire hostel based on the recommendation from the assessment that was done.
“The intention is to dedensify the populated areas so that we start with an informal settlement upgrade program. The team has started with the identification of beneficiaries.”
Mabaso said that when the similar work of erecting containers in Marlboro started , the focus was mainly on Setjwetla informal settlement.
“But when we spoke with other stakeholders, they indicated that the entire region was congested.”
Like Madala Hostel, Setjwetla was one of the informal settlements identified by the department of human settlement to deal with overcrowding.
Mabaso said the project was given a conditional grant of R341 million. “We have spent R270 million,” he said then.
Many residents clashed with the law enforcement agencies this year when they occupied and vandalised the containers in Marlboro, saying the government was taking long to complete building.
The clash became ugly when they were removed from illegal occupation of the units. Henry Modiba (44) said they were not fighting the police, but wanted houses.
Modiba said the community took a brave decision to protect the containers when residents from Madala Hostel allegedly wanted to occupy the area.
He said he was worried that other containers next to ATA offices were vandalised. “We stayed there because we wanted to protect these containers. If we don’t do that, even these ones will be vandalised,” said the father of 4 kids who lived in a one-room-house at 7th avenues, Alexandra.
When JMPD Officer Maxwell Bandezi from the Public Order Policing Unit was shot, Red Ant Security was brought in to guard the containers.
Officer Bandezi was shot and injured whilst conducting an operation on 09 March 2023, when officers were evicting a group of people who had illegally appropriated the freight container apartments at Pretoria Main Road and 8th Street in Marlboro Gardens.
“Whilst proceeding with the operation, the officers came across resistance and had to use rubber bullets to move the people who had illegally inhabited the property out,” said Xolani Fihla, JMPD spokesperson.
Fihla said the group was evicted safely from the property when suddenly gunshots rang from outside the premises.
“When the officers responded and inspected, the people who they had earlier evicted regrouped and re-entered the property firing shots.
“In the event, officer Bandezi was shot in the arm and the torso. The group fled, and hid within the premises.
“The officers searched the area and apprehended six males who were hiding in a building.
“Whilst continuing with the search, the officers recovered a firearm in one of the rooms,” said Fihla.
He said the suspects were arrested and charged with attempted murder, trespassing, and malicious damage to property.
” When we hijacked those containers, we meant business. Have you seen our living conditions? Madala Hostel is a horror environment.
“So the government must just allow us to stay there . We don’t care if they are complete or not, we are tired of dirt, bad smell and promises by politicians who regularly visit us,” said a resident at Madala Hostel.
Pics supplied.
