THEMBELIHLE, LENASIA, GAUTENG — Residents of the Thembelihle informal settlement are intensifying their demands for accountability from the City of Johannesburg, leveling serious corruption allegations over the flawed RDP housing allocation process. The mounting frustration comes as Human Settlements Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC), Mlungisi Mabaso, visited the southern Johannesburg community in an effort to tackle ongoing housing allocation confusion.
Established in the early 1980s near Lenasia, the settlement of approximately 20,000 residents has waged a prolonged battle on two fronts: securing official recognition as a permanent settlement by the municipality and obtaining proper government housing. Community members report a long history of protests and empty promises, noting that while government surveys previously identified developable areas, tangible progress remains elusive. Highlighting the decades-long delay, one resident noted they arrived in 1990 and applied for an RDP house in 1996, yet remain without one today.
The community’s anger has recently boiled over into direct allegations of corruption, with locals claiming that RDP houses are being illicitly sold for cash. Residents point to two specific housing developments meant to benefit the area: Vlakfontein and Lehae. In both instances, community members allege that very few people were accommodated, and those selected were often individuals who had applied long after earlier, more desperate applicants. Currently, around 900 residents gathered in a community hall claim they were officially approved for both the Flak Fontaine and Lehi housing developments but never received any benefits.
During his visit, Human Settlements MMC Mlungisi Mabaso addressed the mounting allegations. While not entirely refuting the possibility of misconduct, Mabaso indicated a current lack of concrete evidence. He acknowledged that such allegations frequently arise during housing allocations. Mabaso stated that the city works with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and has actively engaged with the Hawks in the province to deal with corrupt elements, but emphasized that investigations have yet to yield definitive proof.
Mabaso provided further context on the stalled projects, explaining that the Lehi development was never completed because it was invaded while still under construction. Regarding Flak Fontaine, he noted that the city approved more beneficiaries than the actual number of housing units that were delivered.
Although exact figures regarding taxpayer money spent on these past developments remain unclear, the City of Johannesburg has placed fresh promises on the table. Officials have proposed a new R27 billion housing development aimed at finally resolving the community’s decades-long housing crisis, leaving residents hoping that this latest intervention will translate into tangible progress.
