The City of Johannesburg struggles to manage its 39 municipally owned old-age homes, where only 19% of residents pay rent on time, leading to uninhabitable units and long waiting lists for the elderly. Maintenance backlogs require millions in repairs, while residents face collapsing ceilings, broken facilities, and illegal occupations. Officials cite financial burdens but outline plans for a new billing system.
In Johannesburg, the municipal old-age home system is crumbling under financial strain and neglect. The City owns 39 such facilities, but with just 19.31% of residents paying full rent promptly, revenue falls short of basic needs. Monthly tariffs stand at R217 for a single unit and R435 for doubles, unchanged for years. Even full compliance would yield about R880,000 monthly, hardly covering utilities; actual collections hover around R170,000.
September 2025 billing reached R550,431.92 in rents plus R321,193.34 in arrears interest, yet adjustments for bad debts resulted in a net loss of R168,314. This shortfall hampers maintenance, with consultants estimating R87.7 million needed to fix just 18 of the homes—less than half the portfolio. Facilities lack a dedicated budget, competing with other city properties for limited funds, allowing only emergency repairs.
Residents report dire conditions: peeling ceilings, non-working geysers, faulty plumbing, and electrical issues. At Moffat View Retirement Village, Abbayi Naidoo voluntarily handles basic fixes, as council support is absent. Paulina Mbatha, 75, cares for her abandoned grandchildren on a SASSA grant but faces eviction for housing 'illegal occupants.' In Northam Place, Drika Haywood, 74, bathes in cold water after over a year without a functioning geyser and deals with rat infestations.
A ceiling collapse at De Wetshof Retirement Village two months ago highlighted dangers; resident Mona Dennyson noted ignored complaints for 10 months and rising crime from unsecured access. Ward 57 councillor Faeeza Chame called the situation 'unacceptable,' with empty unsafe units blocking new applicants despite thousands on waiting lists.
Penwell Dlamini, Department of Human Settlements spokesperson, explained: 'The Department has a large housing stock portfolio with incredibly low rental collection rates which further hamper its ability to effect proactive maintenance.' The City acknowledges illegal occupants and is pursuing evictions, while promising a new billing system to boost compliance—though details remain vague.