What’s news?
This is big.
The City of Joburg council resolved this week to force private property developers to make 30% of all future residential developments affordable, New Frame reported. This is to make sure that poor households also have the opportunity to rent homes in the city.
Why does this matter?
New Frame reports that Johannesburg and East London have the most unequal income distribution in the world. So this is big news for a city that so desperately needs to provide quality housing to the poor.
What’s going on?
The city just can’t depend on private developers to take steps to build affordable apartments for low income earners and has stepped in to force their hands.
Verashni is passionate about empowering citizens to hold those in power to account. She was previously editor-in-chief of the Mail & Guardian and HuffPost South Africa, and won the CNN African Journalism Award, among others.
