‘Maile said nothing’ - Diepkloof Hostel residents ‘disrespected’ by MEC's brief visit
Updated | By Masechaba Sefularo
Angry Diepkloof Hostel residents say they feel disrespected after the visit by Human Settlements MEC Lebogang Maile, which they claim offered nothing tangible.

Maile visited the area on Tuesday following a violent protest over the state of their homes.
The MEC has promised to return on Thursday after meeting with community leaders, leaving a hall full of disappointed residents.
They say Maile left them hanging after he failed to address residents, as stated in the statement released by his department on Monday afternoon.
Community chairperson Sibongiseni Khoza says they won’t settle for empty promises in Thursday’s meeting.
“The truth is people are living in houses that could collapse any minute, especially with all these rains. He says himself that these houses are falling. Where has he been? What was he doing all this time? Was he waiting for us to protest?”
After conducting a brief walkabout where he went into several units, the MEC acknowledged the infrastructure backlog, especially around the provision of housing, is a challenge.
“There’s 1.2 million people who need houses. Since 1994, this government has built more than 1.3 million houses. Surely, you can’t say it’s not done anything,” Maile told the media.
“As we continue to build, you have more and more people coming. I’ve just said there are more than 200,000 coming here, so it’s a moving target. So, you can build houses, provide infrastructure, but more people come.”
Nduna Dumisani Mncube says even their engagement with Maile was unconvincing.
“You see for yourself that what he says makes no sense. You heard for yourself as journalists. But we can only hope that on Thursday, he’ll give us something that clarifies what will happen next.”
Residents have vowed to step up their protest should the meeting fail to offer solid solutions.
WHOSE PROBLEM IS IT ANYWAY?
The City of Johannesburg and the provincial government have pointed fingers at each other over who should address the housing issue at the Diepkloof Hostel.
On Monday, Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s spokesperson, Sizwe Pamla, said the hostel is not among the six under the provincial government’s remit.
However, while the city acknowledged the hostel is under the municipality, it said the provision of housing is still the responsibility of the province’s human settlements department.
Maile promised the hostel leaders that he would return on Thursday with officials from both the province and the local government.
“We are meeting with leadership of Thursday, and we’ll ask the mayor to join us with the MMC so that both spheres of government are here and we are to say what’s realistic.
“The good thing is that the financial year of the city is starting now in April, and the province’s starts in June. So the things we want to do will find expression in the budget.”
The hostel, which is over 50 years old, is home to 8,000 people who share less than 100 mobile toilets.
Speaking to the media on Monday, hostel leader Sibongiseni Khoza said residents deserve better living conditions.
“We want to be treated like other people in the township. Let’s not be treated like pigs because that’s what they call us hostel dwellers here.”
The electrification process was concluded and set to be launched by Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda earlier this month, but the event was cancelled at the eleventh hour.
Water services were installed last year.
Gauteng Human Settlements MEC Lebogang Maile has met with #Diepkloof hostel leaders following yesterday’s violent protest over housing. They’ve agreed to hold a meeting on Thursday where officials from the provincial &local governments will address their grievances
— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) March 19, 2024
📷: @GP_DHS pic.twitter.com/N9bmKyHVO7

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