To tackle the challenge of providing adequate housing in the central business district (CBD) of Johannesburg, not-for-profit social housing company Johannesburg Housing Company (JHC) in September launched four new social housing developments, which were bought and refurbished during 2012 and 2013.

The buildings include the Ukhamba Mansions, in Berea; Lethabong Mansions and Taylors Mansions, in the Johannesburg CBD, and Smitshof Extension, in Hillbrow.

Speaking at the launch, Human Settlements Deputy Minister Zou Kota-Fredericks said that this initiative highlighted yet another important step government had taken as part of its endeavours to provide adequate housing. “The opening of these buildings is a testimony that all three spheres of our government have taken on the challenge of reducing the country’s housing backlog,” she noted.

Further, Kota-Fredericks pointed out that, since 1994, government had built 3.3-million housing units and created housing opportunities for about 11-million people, or about 20% of the population.

“New forms of integrated development such as these ones are being rolled out across the country. The housing projects being launched here will make a huge difference in the lives of our people, especially those families who will now live in their own spaces, and now have access to social and economic amenities. “We applaud JHC for its work and its management, which is very serious about inadequate housing in our country. This initiative also indicates that JHC is addressing the issues of urban regeneration and renewal by reviving derelict buildings and turning them into homes. The initiative simultaneously creates new and vibrant communities that require a lot of services from government and from the private sector,” she said.

Kota-Fredericks believes that initiatives such as these will boost local economic development, as retail and other business will seek spaces to render the services required by these communities. “It is exciting that these buildings are at the centre of economic opportunities.”

She noted that the scale of the housing and economic challenges facing the country should “never be underestimated and require a joint effort by all of us”. She also cited the 2011 census results, which stated that 1.2- million households live in informal settle- ments and the highest concentration of these are in metropolitan areas, particu- larly in Gauteng, and noted that JHC was eradicating the shortage of housing while dealing with inner city decay.

Four New Buildings
Since its start in 1995, the independent housing institution has overseen the conversion and refurbishment of 36 buildings, providing homes to 12 000 people. This includes the conversion and refurbishment of Smitshof Extension – a former hotel neighbouring JHC’s Smitshof on the corner of Smit and Hospital streets at the Braamfontein edge of Hillbrow – which was completed towards the end of June 2012. Providing 54 mainly bachelor units, the building was opened to new tenants from July 2012.

The refurbishment and upgrading of Taylors Mansions, on the corner of Mooi and Pritchard streets in the CBD, was completed in September 2012. The seven- storey building provides 105 residential units in a mix of bachelor flats and one- and two-bedroom apartments, as well as shops on the ground floor. New tenants moved in from the beginning of October 2012.

Taylors Mansions is also on the Rea Vaya bus route, providing its tenants with access to public transport. It is also within walking distance of the CBD.

Meanwhile, the first half of 2013 saw rapid progress on the refurbishment of Lethabong Mansions, opposite Taylors Mansions on Pritchard street. Also a seven-storey building, Lethabong has been completely refurbished with new bathrooms and kitchens, at a cost of R41-million, including purchase price. The building provides 132 flats, including bachelor units, one-bedroom, two- bedroom and three-bedroom apartments. The building also has its own play area and community space, as well as shops at street level.

UKhamba Mansions, on 7 Abel road, was the former Crest Hotel, which JHC purchased and converted to provide residential accommodation for low- and middle-income groups. UKhamba Mansions is a 22-storey building with the 14th and 15th floors protruding from the main frame of the building. As a hotel, it originally had 209 rooms and with the conversion work, which has just been completed, JHC has created 13 additional units, which means that there are now 222 flats in total.

The building provides a mix of mainly one-bedroom flats, as well as bachelor units and some two-bedroom apartments. During the overall conversion and refurbishment programme, all the units were fitted with new bathrooms, new floor finishes and kitchens.

“JHC is excited to expand its portfolio by venturing for the first time into one of the city’s most sought after places to live in the inner city,” says JHC CEO Elize Stroebel, referring to Ukhamba Mansions, in Berea.

Safe and Sound
JHC new development manager Manie Meyer tells Engineering News that, despite being in the inner city, which is infamous for its high crime rate, the buildings are safe for families with young children. “Over time, we have developed fairly extensive and well-thought-out security systems for our buildings. This includes 24-hour manned security in the buildings, access control systems, biometric readers – such as registering each tenant and allowing access into the building by fingerprints,” he notes.

JHC operations manager Carel de Wit adds that security is imperative to the com- pany. “The tenants must feel safe. In many cases, parents have to go to work and their children come back to the building after school.

“For this reason, we also implement programmes that affect the area around the building, such as neighbourhood regeneration programmes.”

Meyer explains that the company also believes that by developing relationships with neighoubouring landlords, it contributes to creating a safer environment.

He cites the eKhaya Neighbourghood Programme, in Hillbrow, as an example of how landlords can improve the community. “Each landlord in the area makes a contribution towards security services in the streets.” This programme has also seen landlords pooling their resources and giving funds for the introduction of after-school homework programmes for Hillbrow’s children, as well as for the reopening of a library and a swimming pool as recreational facilities for children and adults in the neighbourhood.

Meyer notes that the company also carries out extensive background checks on each of their tenants to ensure that they have a stable job and will be able to pay their rent.

De Wit concludes that the average tenant for their projects is a working couple, between the ages of 30 and 35, with young children. Units are leased at R1 000 a month to R5 000 a month.