Johannesburg — ActionSA leader and former Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba has questioned the City’s approach to dealing with hijacked buildings after Housing MMC Mgcini Tshwaku announced plans to negotiate with tenants while removing criminal syndicates.
Mashaba, posting on X, criticised the strategy and called for the return of his previous programme of reclaiming buildings and working with private investors to redevelop them. He also warned that the City lacks the resources to repurpose buildings once they are taken back.
“Are you going to allow our people to live in such conditions? The City of Johannesburg does not have the resources to repurpose the reclaimed building,” Mashaba wrote. He further said Council resolutions would be required before any plans can be carried out.
Tshwaku has defended the current approach, saying the City must separate law-abiding residents from criminal operators and ensure people are not displaced without alternatives. He cited the recent reclaiming of the Moth Building on Christmas Eve as progress.
The debate comes as Johannesburg continues to face housing shortages and safety concerns in illegally occupied buildings, following deadly incidents such as the 2023 Usindiso fire.