It gives us great pleasure to announce that Council has passed a resolution to expropriate 37 abandoned factories across the City of Johannesburg, including 16 near Alexandra.
These factories will 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.
This move allows the City to put the properties out to tender, with the intention of allowing private developers to create as many housing units as possible for our residents, closer to economic opportunities.
The abandoned factories that have been identified are located in areas such as Kew, Devland, Rabie Ridge, Doornfontein, Booysens and Nancefield. Of particular interest were 16 factories identified in close proximity to Alexandra, offering the much needed opportunity to reduce the density of settlement in this under-developed township.
Arising from their large stand sizes, the yield of these properties will offer nearly 3000 housing opportunities in multi-story buildings. This is especially important given the desperate need for housing in Region E, which is plagued by congestion particularly in an area like Alexandra.
This victory for low-cost housing follows on the back of 139 properties and land parcels having been awarded to developers across the Inner City, which will generate more than R30 billion in investment, 11 000 construction sector jobs and about 8000 affordable housing units.
The City of Johannesburg, previously, has sought to tackle the housing backlog with a reliance upon RDP housing each year which could never begin to reduce the challenge.
This is why the multi-party government has adopted an approach which is producing sizeable results in site and service projects, informal settlement upgrades, social housing and partnering with the private sector.
In the environment in which government alone cannot address the staggering housing backlogs, it is imperative that we create the environment for the private sector to unleash the potential of their balance sheets, expertise and efficiency to the benefit of the poorest residents in our City.
The City has considerable plans in the 2019/20 financial year to rollout over 2000 RDP houses, 4000 serviced stands and 10 informal settlement upgrades.
The extension of property release program into areas with massive housing shortages, will aid the efforts of the multi-party government to turnaround the housing backlogs in Johannesburg.
This historic achievement would only be possible with the continued support of the DA caucus as well as members of our coalition government, the IFP, ACDP, COPE, UDM and Freedom Front Plus.
A huge thanks also goes to the EFF caucus, which votes with us on an issue by issue basis.