Tag Archive for: City of Johannesburg

Following the arrest of the former president of South Africa, Jacob Zuma – looting, unrest and violence has broken out in Kwa-Zulu Natal and Gauteng provinces.

On the 29th of June 2021, the former president was sentenced to 15 months in prison for contempt of court after failing to attend a corruption inquiry. The former president handed himself into the police and was admitted to Estcourt Correctional Centre in KZN.

Following this arrest, violent looting and rioting began in his homestead Nkandla and spread to the wider parts of Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Al Jazeera reports that “Several hundred people looted and burned stores in the Alexandra and Bramley neighbourhoods of Johannesburg, according to a statement by police Major General Mathapelo Peters.”

The AFP news agency states that for many hours, the N3 highway linking Johannesburg and the coastal city of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal was blocked. Further, some 23 trucks were also set alight at Mooi River around 150 kilometres (100 miles) northwest of Durban. At least 72 people have died amid the instability, officials said Tuesday, some trampled to death in shopping-centre stampedes.

Dozens of burnt-out trucks at the Mooi River toll plaza in the KZN Midlands after they were torched. (Photo: Daily Maverick)

President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation on Sunday, with the cabinet deciding to deploy members of the military in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

 

In his address condemning the ongoing violence, President Ramaphosa stated, “In the past few days we have seen sporadic but increasingly violent protests in some parts of the country. Key infrastructure like national roads has been affected‚ slowing down the transportation of goods and services that keep our economy running.”

While the condemnation of those ongoing violence and looting, some protesters shared that the reason for looting was due to the loss of jobs due to the pandemic, the high unemployment rate in South Africa and ongoing socio-economic problems which continue to destabilise the country.

The Wall Street Journal writes a compelling article about how the ongoing violence reflects inequalities exacerbated by the Covid-19 Pandemic. The author writes, “The looting and violence are emblematic of the economic and social dislocation the pandemic has unleashed in many developing countries. Governments from Colombia to Lebanon, in addition to South Africa, lack the resources to provide the economic stimulus and social-security programs implemented in richer countries. Limited supplies of Covid-19 shots are also holding back the recovery, as fresh waves of infections continue to overwhelm hospitals and cause thousands of deaths.”

Amid the many lockdowns, the government continues to fail to provide social relief to businesses and the unemployed citizen of South Africa. The unemployment rate sits at a concerning 43%. The pandemic relief amount to the citizen was set at R350 a month, which some have reported to never have gotten. Albeit there is the hijacking of the protest by opportunists, loyalists and criminals, the socio-economic factor and outcry of looters cannot be ignored. A tweet said, “You cannot threaten the hungry with hunger. You cannot scare the jobless with jobless”

While other provinces remain “unlooted” and stable, this is a stern warning of the future of South Africa if corruption and inequality continue to plague this developing country.

Relocation Africa condemns any violence and vandalism and calls for change in policy and stakeholders. South Africa is a beautiful and rich land, full of potential. Let us stand together in unity, and rebuild what is lost.

 

The City of Johannesburg says it has identified 37 abandoned factories in the city that it plans to expropriate in order to convert into low-cost affordable housing.

Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba said this came after the council’s resolution last year to make 84 city-owned properties available for the purpose of creating quality low-income housing within the inner city.

Mashaba said the 84 buildings would generate an expected R21bn in investment, 11,000 construction sector jobs and over 6,000 affordable housing units.

“Following on this success in the inner city, the multi-party government has now identified 37 abandoned factories across the city, specifically those located in areas in desperate need of housing opportunities.

“Arising from their large stand sizes, the yield of these properties will offer nearly 3,000 housing opportunities in multi-storey buildings,” Mashaba said in a statement.

He said the abandoned factories that had been identified were located in Kew, Devland, Rabie Ridge, Doornfontein, Booysens and Nancefield.

Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba.

Mashaba said 16 of the buildings were in close proximity to Alexandra, offering a much-needed opportunity to reduce the density of settlement in this under-developed township.

He said the municipality would prepare a proposal to council in August, which would allow the city to begin the legal proceedings to expropriate these properties as abandoned buildings.

Mashaba said these buildings would be expropriated within the existing legal framework of the constitution.

“For this we will utilise the fact that they are abandoned, owners are untraceable and monies owing on these properties exceed their value.“

Mashaba said once the expropriations were approved by council, the city would be able to put these properties out to the private sector and award them on the criteria that achieved the largest number of residential units, the lowest rentals, the highest job creation and investment.

Mashaba said the City of Johannesburg had previously sought to tackle the housing backlog with a reliance upon RDP housing each year. However, the RDP housing could never begin to reduce the housing shortage, he said.

“Our residents cannot wait for dreams of new cities to materialise in the distant future, if at all,” Mashaba said.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email marketing@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], Jacques Nel [2].