CoJ's efforts to evict people from hijacked buildings stall due to lack of alternative housing
Human Settlements MMC Mlungisi Mabaso has revealed that there are more than 19,000 families that the city needs to provide alternative housing to before evictions are effected.
A hijacked building in Johannesburg's inner city. Picture: Simphiwe Nkosi/EWN
JOHANNESBURG - Efforts by the City of Johannesburg to evict people from hijacked buildings and unauthorised informal settlements have suffered significant setbacks, with unavailable alternative housing.
Human Settlements MMC Mlungisi Mabaso has revealed that there are more than 19,000 families that the city needs to provide alternative housing to before evictions are effected.
The metro recently launched an operation aimed at demolishing structures at illegal informal settlements.
Mabaso said the process was being held up by the shortage of alternative housing.
"When we conducted our own internal audit on the court orders that have compelled us to provide an alternative accommodation, we have got a backlog of 19,000 households. That’s why our evacuation operations have stalled. It’s because we are in a process of finalising alternative accommodation. So the capacity is not there."