The ANC in Johannesburg has slammed ActionSA president Herman Mashaba’s remarks on the hijacked buildings in the city. The ANC in Johannesburg has strongly pushed back against ActionSA president and former mayor Herman Mashaba, accusing him of misleading the public and presiding over the collapse of the city’s inner core during his time in office. ANC Greater Johannesburg spokesperson Mantombi Nkosi dismissed the claims as politically motivated and divorced from reality.
“The ANC in the Greater Joburg region has noted with concern the claims made by ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba accusing the city of negotiating with criminals and lacking a plan for reclaimed buildings,” Nkosi said. “This claim is misleading and ignores his own record during his tenure as mayor.”Hijacked buildings have long plagued Johannesburg’s inner city. Often abandoned by private owners, the buildings are taken over by criminal syndicates who illegally rent out units, leaving residents living in unsafe, overcrowded conditions without proper sanitation, electricity or fire safety.
The issue has become one of the city’s most entrenched urban challenges. Nkosi said the crisis cannot be resolved through evictions alone. “Addressinghijacked buildings is not only a law enforcement taskbut a housing and development imperative,” she said, stressing the need for a balanced approach that considers human dignity and long-term urban renewal. Mashaba’s remarks came after MMC for Public Safety Mgcini Tshwakusaid the city would engage occupants of reclaimed buildings to assess who could afford rent, favouring negotiations over mass evictions.
