City of Joburg appoints contractors for Dube Hostel infrastructure upgrade

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16-04-2025
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Polity
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The Human Settlements Department in the City of Johannesburg has appointed two contractors to install water and sewer bulk infrastructure at Dube Hostel in Soweto.

Councillor Mlungisi Mabaso, the Member of the Mayoral Committee for Human Settlements in the City of Johannesburg, made this announcement during a public meeting with Dube Hostel residents on Sunday, 13 April 2025. The installation of bulk infrastructure marks a significant step towards the eventual allocation of housing units at the hostel, which have remained vacant for some time.

DCM Projects Professional has been appointed to install the water infrastructure at a cost of over R14 million over a five-month period, while Planet Earth will construct the sewer infrastructure at a cost of R26.2 million over six months.

Speaking at the hostel, MMC Mabaso expressed his satisfaction that progress was finally being made at Dube Hostel following a lengthy delay. “We have decided to start from the beginning by constructing bulk infrastructure that will connect to the units already built.

“There will be local labour hired during the project, and opportunities will be created for small businesses to benefit. To the hostel leadership, my plea is that we must not hold secret meetings to decide who will work on the project. Let the process be open and fair because this development belongs to the community. Even those who do not benefit directly must be satisfied that the process was transparent and just,” said Mabaso.

Currently, the Human Settlements Department has also begun seeking a solution for the installation of bulk electricity supply.

The development is a large-scale, mixed-income, mixed-typology, and mixed-tenure housing project. Initially launched by the Gauteng Provincial Government, it was later transferred to the City of Johannesburg’s Department of Human Settlements.

The first phase of the development involved the construction of 416 two-bedroom, double-storey family units, completed between 2009 and 2010. However, occupation of the units was delayed due to affordability issues, as many hostel residents were unable to afford the rental costs. As a result, the units remained unoccupied, were subsequently vandalised, and the originally installed water and sewer services were removed.