by Mervyn Cirota MPL – DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Human Settlements
The ANC-led Ekurhuleni administration is failing to conduct proper maintenance on Ekurhuleni Council-owned rental stock flats in Actonville, Benoni.
During our oversight inspection to 9 Ekurhuleni Council-owned rental stock flats yesterday, we discovered there is absolutely no maintenance at the following flats:
• Primrose court
• Flora court,
• Azalea court
• Ajmery court
• Agra court
• Aligra court
• Bangalore court
• Lahore court
• Aloe court
There are two groups of occupants at these flats. Some are affordable rentals, who are pensioners paying rent ranging between R200 and R300 per month while others are paying a market-related rent ranging between R1700 to R3000 per month.
There are major structural damages in these flats; the buildings are dilapidated and cracking due to a lack of proper maintenance.
The balcony walls are loose, and staircases are unstable which poses a danger to the residents.
The windows are broken, the water taps and sewerage pipes are leaking, and the drains are blocked and some are without drain covers.
See photos here, here, here and here.
The residents claim that the municipality has never replaced any fixtures inside their flats and they have to wait between 6 to 8 months for the municipality to unblock the drains.
The DA believes that it is the responsibility of the owner, not the tenant, of the property to repair any damage on the property and to conduct regular maintenance.
We demand that these flats be refurbished and the residents be given title deeds as they had been promised by the council years ago. In so doing it will reduce the housing backlog in Ekurhuleni.
It is high time that the Ekurhuleni council revisit the policy of adjusting the rental prices of all their rental stock as it is not fair that some residents are paying more for facilities that are not being maintained.
The DA calls on both Gauteng Human Settlements and COGTA MEC, Uhuru Moiloa and Ekurhuleni Mayor, Mzwandile Masina to ensure that they refurbish these flats as a matter of urgency, as our residents deserve a better living environment.