LAEL BETHLEHEM: Joburg has hit rock bottom — we need a new plan

First Bree Street. Now Albert Street. Which street is next? These twin CBD tragedies are not unrelated, and they did not happen by chance. They are — at least in part — a reflection of the way the city is being managed. Unless this changes fast there will be more tragedies.

Why did Bree street explode? And why did a fire engulf the Usindiso building? The short answer is that such disasters are inevitable where governance is in chaos. Our political and administrative leaders focus too much on their power struggles, and not enough on running the city. And Johannesburg is a difficult city to run.

Why did Bree Street explode? The city has not provided a clear explanation beyond confirming that methane gas was involved. One of the most likely sources of the build-up of methane is the sewer system. The sewer infrastructure in the CBD is old and poorly maintained. This despite the fact that Joburg Water charges R292 per toilet connection per month for residential buildings in the CBD. For a large, renovated residential building this amounts to upwards of R140,000 a month for sewer charges alone.

This money is clearly not used on sewer maintenance in the CBD, but rather as a general source of income for Joburg Water, which is overwhelmed by maintenance problems throughout the city. I sympathise with the enormous challenges faced by Joburg Water, which was one of the better-run entities in the city for many years. But we need action in the CBD, and we need it now. Before another explosion.

Why did fire engulf the Usindiso building? The building was reportedly hijacked — taken over and run by thugs. When thugs hijack a building they take control of its income. They pack every square metre with residents, and they charge rent. They offer no services and they break every bylaw in the book.

They certainly don’t pay rates and taxes. They maintain control through violence and have no pity on the desperate people who live under their control. It’s a ruthless business with lots of income and no expenses.

What should be done about hijacked buildings? Every last one should be closed down and converted to affordable accommodation. But this is difficult to do for two reasons:

• The courts have ruled that no-one can be evicted from a building (even under emergency circumstances) unless the city can provide alternative accommodation, which it has shown little determination to do. Matters are further complicated by the argument (made both inside and outside government) that no such accommodation should be provided to people who are not South African. 
• The second is that providing decent permanent accommodation to poor people requires a substantial subsidy. There are many well-renovated, affordable housing units in the city catering to people who are employed, even at relatively low incomes. But rentals start at about R3,500 a month — way beyond the city’s poorest residents. A social housing subsidy does exist and provides some units through nonprofit housing companies, but it is too low to provide for this constituency, and too limited in scale.   

These twin tragedies are examples of how difficult it is to run a city like Johannesburg. Even the most skilled, most focused, most dedicated, and best resourced city administration would struggle to solve these problems. The CBD is especially challenging, with huge densities, old infrastructure and a constant influx of migrants from all over SA and the region.

Unfortunately, Johannesburg does not have the most skilled and most dedicated administration. We have a political leadership that seems to treat the city like a game show. Many of the leaders are not concerned whether their latest political alliance will have the skills to run the city. They are only concerned with power.

From many years of working in the city I know there are also leaders and officials who have the skills and integrity -hard-working people who hold this precious city together to the extent they can. But they are being overwhelmed. Johannesburg desperately needs a mayoral committee and city managers who are equal to this mammoth task.

Surely it is time for the politicians to sit down with well-intentioned private sector players — of which there are many — and acknowledge that things simply cannot go on like this. This is Egoli, our biggest and most important city and Africa’s largest economic hub. It cannot be treated as a political toy. It is time for a new vision. It is time for a proper plan.

• Bethlehem worked for the City of Johannesburg from 2002-2010 and served as CEO of the Johannesburg Development Agency.