Roodepoort CBD awoke to barricaded streets filled with smoke and burning tyres on Friday morning, 20 September 2019. Residents of low cost housing complex, Tshedzani, were protesting for the rights to own their property. The Johannesburg Social Housing Company (JOSCHO) that manages numerous apartment complexes around Johannesburg came under fire when residents started picketing at 3am.
Residents accuse JOSCHO of offering them a lease agreement that would subsequently equate to ownership, of the leased property, after a specified period. According to residents that period has come and gone but JOSCHO is still demanding rent meaning the rent-free agreement never materialized.
The residents’ subsidies were allegedly forfeited in the process and as a result they are unable to obtain RDP houses alternatively. A tenant at Tshedzani complex, Sindi Twala, expressed her grievances to Gauteng News stating, “We cannot leave these flats, JOSCHO must release our subsidies so we can get RDP houses. We will fight until we win.”
The town was brought to a standstill as taxis were disrupted on the roads and commuters traveling to work encountered a huge problem. Shops were also closed. Gauteng News was able to get a statement from Keneilwe Ntaopane, stakeholder manager in the MMC Housing office.
“We are a people centered organisation that cares about service delivery. I am here to listen so I can convey the concerns of the residents to all stakeholders at JOSCHO, MMC of Housing’s office and City of Johannesburg. We will have a response on Wednesday 25th September and ensure that the needs of the tenants are met in a reasonable manner”, said Ntaopane.
