Living conditions have a profound influence on both physical and mental health, making them a critical factor in overall wellbeing. Research demonstrates that enhancing housing quality directly benefits residents’ mental health, highlighting the importance of investing in better living conditions. Equally, substandard living conditions can trigger health issues such as the spread of infectious diseases, chronic illnesses, nutritional deficiencies and mental health challenges.
No province understands this better than the Gauteng provincial government, which has committed the next five years to restoring the dignity of residents that were once overlooked in townships, informal settlements and hostels (TISH). Work is now underway to convert six provincially owned hostels into family units.
Working with municipalities, the provincial government has identified five local government-owned hostels in Johannesburg, Tshwane, West Rand, Sedibeng and Ekurhuleni which will be transformed into family units.
The once-vibrant hostels, originally designed to offer a haven for migrant workers, have now fallen into disrepair. Stripped of essential services and left to languish, some of these abandoned spaces have sadly become breeding grounds for crime. What was intended as a refuge has turned into a symbol of neglect and danger, highlighting a dire need for transformation and renewal.
To demonstrate the commitment of the provincial government to bring comprehensive health services to the doorstep of TISH communities, all hostels owned by the provincial government have mobile health clinics visiting them weekly.
Delivering his inaugural state of the province address in the seventh administration, premier Panyaza Lesufi reported the completion and handover of four functional early childhood development centres in Denver, Sebokeng, Boipatong and Kwa-Thema hostels. He added that this intervention would be expanded to 15 hostels across the province in the coming months.
The provincial government has also connected six hostels in Johannesburg (George Goch Hostel, Jeppe Hostel, Denver Hostel, MBA Hostel, Murray and Roberts Hostel and Rethabile LTE) with high-speed wifi. Security cameras have also been installed in these hostels and other hotspot areas across Gauteng.
Bongo Ntshangase
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