At least 10 families from flats in Pennyville near Soweto are facing eviction after the City of Johannesburg issued notices ordering them to vacate their units over an unpaid rent dispute.
However, residents said they only became aware of the eviction notices on Monday, after ward 68 councillor Msimelelo Lobi informed them that the city intended to remove households defaulting on rent.
According to a court order signed in April 2023, the Johannesburg Social Housing Company (Joshco) secured a judgment in January 2022, granting it the right to evict tenants occupying Block K, units 104 and 105, at Pennyville communal housing on New Canada Road.
The order instructs the sheriff to eject the occupants, their goods, and possessions, allowing Joshco to repossess the property.
The affected residents, who pay about R2,000 a month in rent, argued that they withheld payments because of poor living conditions, including lack of security and rising crime. They also claim the flats experienced frequent sewer blockages and poor maintenance.
According to their lease agreement, Joshco is responsible for property maintenance and repairs on its rental units. “Our flats don’t look like other Joshco flats. We are mixed with RDP houses, and there is no security. I stopped paying rent five years ago because the city doesn’t service us,” said one tenant.
Another resident described how her unit was flooded after a geyser placed on the roof burst. “My whole unit was filled with water, and I had to replace my appliances. Nobody from the city came to fix anything.”
The resident admitted she had not yet seen the exact details of the court order but said nonpayment of rent could be among the reasons. “These are rental stock units, tenants are supposed to pay about R2,500. Some have been paying, but others have not.”
The uncertainty has left residents in limbo, caught between financial strain, alleged neglect by Joshco, and the looming threat of losing their homes.
Nokuthula Sibeko, who has lived in the flats since 2009 with her husband and three children, said an eviction would leave them homeless. “I don’t mind paying I have been paying R2,600 since 2009. But I stopped four years ago because whenever I needed them to fix the geyser, they never came. How do you pay rent when you still have to do maintenance yourself?”
Sibeko also highlighted safety concerns. “When I do laundry our clothes are stolen because there’s no fence separating us from the RDP houses.”
Yesterday, residents, supported by other community members, resisted the eviction, preventing the sheriff and police from removing families.
Lobi confirmed that five households were due to be removed immediately, but the operation was suspended after community resistance. “The sheriff came with eviction notices for five households today. But because families here have lived in Pennyville for more than 10 years, the community came out to defend them. Police later agreed to suspend the evictions and gave tenants 15 days to contest the court order,” Lobi said
The sheriff came with eviction notices for five households today. But because families here have lived in Pennyville for more than 10 years, the community came out to defend them.
— Msimelelo Lobi, ward 68 councillor
Chairperson of the Social Housing Movement in Riverside Sello Mokhali, who is representing the residents, said the court order could be challenged. “Residents said they didn’t know about the court order and only found out on Monday evening. We will file an appeal to have the order suspended until the court can hear their grievances,” he said.
For now, families remain in their homes but the looming eviction battle highlights the growing tensions between tenants and the city over service delivery and accountability in social housing.
Joshco, an entity of the department of human settlements, confirmed the evictions were being carried out only on rental stock, not RDP units. “Yes, we are doing evictions on Joshco rental units. All tenants in the impacted six units are aware of eviction orders against them, as they have failed to pay rent. There is no ownership at any Joshco unit. It’s rental stock as per SHRA's [Social Housing Regulatory Authority] and Joshco’s mandate,” the entity said.
Joshco further clarified that all beneficiaries were SA citizens, employed, and earning between R1,500 and R22,000 per month. “Every tenant who got into these units was aware as they signed a lease agreement. It is based on these agreements that Joshco has obtained eviction orders, which the sheriff is enforcing. Anyone opposing this process is in contempt of court,” it said.
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