MMC for Human Settlements promises to turn housing crisis around in Joburg

Sameera Casmod | sameerac@radioislam.co.za
30 July 2024 | 12:00 p.m. SAST
1-minute read

Image: The Citizen

Mlungisi Mabaso, in his recent appointment as Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Human Settlements in the city of Johannesburg, has pledged to alleviate the housing dilemma by introducing programmes to improve living conditions in the city.

As the city continues to witness a proliferation of informal settlements and hostels that are progressively deteriorating, some applicants have been awaiting housing allocation for 30 years.

Mabaso, who is the former MMC for Johannesburg Housing, said he will draw on previous models to prioritise formalising, rehabilitating, decongesting and providing permanent services to informal settlements and hostels.

The launch of the housing mega-project in the city is a step in the right direction to providing affordable settlements, particularly for people working in the city who currently live on the outskirts and have high transport costs.

“We are going to move with speed in the implementation so that we are able to address the issue of human settlements,” MMC Mabaso said.

The MMC said anti-corruption efforts will continue unabated, given the department’s continuous challenges with fraud and corruption. This includes raising awareness among residents about social media scams and bribery demands from officials. Plans to eradicate corruption also include working with law enforcement agencies to follow up on pending corruption cases.

“We’ll follow up on those cases because we must leave no stone unturned when it comes to rooting out corruption,” MMC Mabaso said.

Listen to the full interview on Sabaahul Muslim with Moulana Habib Bobat.

Urgent action required for rising elephant populations in KZN

Sameera Casmod | sameerac@radioislam.co.za 8 April 2026 | 12:54 CAT 2-minute read KwaZulu-Natal's conservation authorities are sounding the alarm over rising elephant populations in key reserves, warning of an ecological crisis if urgent action is not taken. Ezemvelo...

First batch of HIV prevention drug arrives in SA after 6-week delay

Sameera Casmod | sameerac@radioislam.co.za 8 April 2026 | 10:37 CAT 2-minute read The Department of Health announced that South Africa’s first consignment of a twice-a-year anti-HIV injection arrived at OR Tambo International airport via two shipments from Dublin,...

SA electorate torn between disillusionment and renewed possibility ahead of polls

7 April 2026 | 12:53 CAT 2-minute read As South Africa heads into a local government election year, signs of voter fatigue and political disillusionment are emerging, raising concerns about turnout and engagement in the country’s democratic process. Despite the...

The Africa Report

Sameera Casmod | sameerac@radioislam.co.za 7 April 2026 | 11:36 CAT 3-minute read Surge in demand for African critical minerals: a curse in disguise? A surge in demand for critical minerals from the African continent, which holds approximately 30% of the world’s...

The Green Drop Report

Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za 07 April 2026 2-minute read South Africa’s water and sanitation infrastructure is rapidly deteriorating, prompting the South African Human Rights Commission to issue a warning of a natural disaster in the making and calling...

Fuel Impacts On Agriculture

Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za 02 April 2026 3-minute read Every sector in South Africa has been affected by the unprecedented hike in fuel and diesel prices. The more than R7.00 increase in diesel has South African farmers in a financial squeeze right as...