Johannesburg - Hostels in Johannesburg should be a thing of the past, Johannesburg mayor Kabelo Gwamanda said.
Gwamanda was speaking at the Diepkloof Hostel, where there has been unrest for days over service delivery issues.
Protests by those living in the hostel have led to a disruption of roads around the hostel - cars were stoned, and trucks delivering goods were looted.
“It is time that we integrated as communities; hence the City of Johannesburg is looking at prioritising the Southern Farms that does not only accommodate historically oppressive structures but an integration of people of diverse races, people of diverse cultures, people of diverse religions, and living standard measures,” Gwamanda said.
He said the Government of Local Unity had taken into account measures taken by the previous government with the DA at the helm. But he said integration was important to end historic hostilities and form a unified citizenry.
Gwamanda was taken on a tour of the hostel, where he was shown the cracked walls, broken doors, blocked drains, and dysfunctional toilets that most of the community complained about. He said he was heartbroken by the conditions that people at the hostel were exposed to.
“I am disheartened about the conditions that our people have been subjected to. There are a growing number of cases happening in South Africa and the City of Johannesburg in particular; the structures are caving in, and I have come to realise that the basic service delivery that our communities are entitled to is non-existent,” he said.
Gwamanda said there would be a number of interventions at the hostel to ensure that its 4 000 inhabitants got the basic services that the city should provide, which included electricity, water, and the collection of refuse. Work at the hostel was expected to begin next week.
“I have assurances that the officials will diligently implement the agreements that we had with the leadership of the hostel. The refurbishment of the hostel and the issue with the structure are items of intergovernmental relations,” he said.
Gwamanda said the provincial and national governments would need to be engaged in terms of a demand for housing for the residents of the hostel. The premier of Gauteng, Panyaza Lesufi, would be engaged on the matter.
“It is just unfortunate that my visit here comes through demonstration, which is the only way that our people understand to get results or to get things done. We are here to respond to the needs of our people and ensure dignity,” he said.
Meanwhile, IFP councillor Mlungisi Mabaso said hostels around Johannesburg had been neglected, despite their upkeep being prioritised in government budgets. He said more needed to be done to improve the lives of hostel dwellers.
The Star