Khutsong Hostel residents are facing a bleak future as the plans to relocate them to the 10,000 housing units earmarked for construction in Khutsong Extension 8 have been halted. To make matters worse, the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements (GDHS) has distanced itself from the issue, claiming that the hostel falls under the jurisdiction of the Merafong Local Municipality. The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng condemns the blame-shifting between provincial and local governments, forcing residents to live in inhumane and unsafe conditions. We demand the immediate inclusion of Khutsong Hostel in the Hostel Redevelopment Programme for necessary upgrades and maintenance.
The information about the halted project and the department’s position on Khutsong Hostel was revealed by the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements (GDHS) MEC, Tasneem Motara, in a written reply to DA questions following our oversight inspection at Khutsong Hostel, where we found the facility in a severe state of disrepair.
See photos here, here, here and here.
According to the MEC, Khutsong Hostel has been included in the priority projects since the 2020/21 financial year. This prioritisation led the department to appoint a professional resource team to conduct detailed planning for the Khutsong Extension 8 land parcel aimed at providing a permanent solution for the situation at Khutsong Hostel. The team completed about 80% of the planning work. The finalisation of the planning could not continue due to delays by the Municipality in approving the township application. There are currently no plans to relocate hostel residents to Khutsong Extension 8, as the project has been discontinued.
See full reply here.
The failure to upgrade this hostel or relocate residents to the designated land, despite the project being flagged as a priority, underscores the neglect faced by hostel residents throughout Gauteng. Despite their public commitments to improving the lives of hostel residents, Premier Panyaza Lesufi and MEC Motara have, through their actions and decisions, made conditions even more challenging for these communities. Whenever asked to explain their failure, they blame municipalities, which have already proven incapable of improving hostel conditions.
Premier Lesufi and MEC Motara must stop dilly-dallying and urgently implement the Gauteng Hostel Redevelopment Plan to transform this and other deteriorating hostels into decent, family-oriented housing. Additionally, there must be collaboration between provincial and local governments to improve the lives of our people. This is one of many reasons why the DA has tabled a motion of no confidence against Premier Lesufi. He has failed to deliver all his government promises, and our people continue to live in inhumane and unsanitary conditions.
A caring DA-led Gauteng Provincial Government would have ensured the completion of the priority project at Khutsong Extension 8, and the immediate relocation of residents to safer houses rather than the dolomitic area where Khutsong Hostel currently stands. While the project is ongoing, we will ensure that Khutsong Hostel residents have access to basic services, including water, electricity, and other essential amenities.
The DA will continue to hold the Gauteng Provincial Government and Merafong Local Municipality accountable in getting the Khutsong Extension 8 project back on track, so that residents currently living in squalor can finally enjoy safe and dignified housing.