Alex housing crisis mounting as residents attempt to occupy vacant containers

JOHANNESBURG - Alexandra is facing a mounting housing crisis, after residents attempted to occupy vacant containers that have sat unused for over five years. 

Community members are trying to force their way into hundreds of government container homes that were built as COVID-19 shelters. 

It’s understood the property was earmarked for hostel residents during the pandemic but remains vacant.

Residents resorted to blocking sections of Vasco da Gama Road on Monday with burning tyres and rocks in their efforts to illegally occupy the containers. 

Louis Dlamini, who is leading the forced occupation, told Eyewitness News that they were planning to return to the vacant property. 

“These are the results of corruption because that project was built and completed and people were allocated… We’re not going to have these programmes."