Johannesburg’s Eskom Centre and Sea Point apartments on track for social housing transformation

Rocklands Villas in Sea Point has been earmarked for social housing since 2021. Picture: Google Maps Several state-owned offices and staff accommodation are in the process of being transformed into social housing developments. The properties concerned include an apartment once used as staff accommodation for the SABC and a once-pristine monument to South Africa’s energy supplier.

Some have been in the pipeline for years, with other completion dates still several years in the future. Officials from the Housing Development Agency (HDA) were before the portfolio committee on human settlements on Wednesday to provide an update on the projects. One property was acquired from a private owner, while four were purchased from state-owned entities after being abandoned.

The properties are spread across Gauteng, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and the Northern and Western Cape. “The focus here is specifically just on the buildings, with regards to our engagements and conversations with state owned enterprises,” said HDA head of land Lucien Rakgoale. Rocklands Villas is located in Sea Point near the corner of Rocklands and Stone road, roughly 100 metres from Beach Road.

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Once complete it will feature 200 social housing units including 10 three bedroom units, 50 two bedroom units and 220 one bedroom and bachelor units. HDA said the project status sits at the “project packaging stages which includes housing demand market study for the area”. Rakgoale clarified that the existing structure is not fit for purpose and discussions on ongoing with the municipality on how best to develop the property.

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