By Selloane Ntshonyane
- The Devland shelter in Region G is 80% complete but construction stopped over budget constraints, with no contractor on site.
- JDA boss Themba Mathibe called it a ‘beacon of hope’ in April, but families like Princess Xulu’s wait for answers.
In April, Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) boss Themba Mathibe called the new Devland shelter “a beacon of hope for displaced individuals in Region G.”
He said the agency was determined to finish it on time.
Seven months later, the shelter is stuck. Construction on the 200-bed facility in Devland, near Freedom Park, has stopped completely, and the JDA cannot say when it will start again.
The JDA told Scrolla.Africa the shelter is now about 80% complete. Roofing, wall and floor finishes, windows, paving and electrical work are all nearly done. But the contractor has left the site, and building was suspended because of budget constraints in the 2025/26 financial year.
“The contractor is currently not on site, and the project remains suspended pending the finalisation of funding arrangements,” the JDA said.
The shelter was meant to give 200 homeless people a bed, an aftercare centre and a chance to learn new skills. The JDA said it is only responsible for building the shelter. Decisions about who moves in, and what happens to people in the meantime, sit with the City of Johannesburg’s Department of Social Development.
Scrolla.Africa asked the department what is being done for homeless people while the shelter stands empty. It did not respond.
Freedom Park resident Princess Xulu said the community has been waiting for the shelter to open.
She said the delay is hardest on people who needed the promised skills training and a safe place for their children.
“I really hope there was plan B made, especially for elderly people, those who are sick and children,” Xulu said.
The JDA said it is working with the City to get the project back on track, but gave no date for when that might happen.
Pictured above: Construction underway on the new shelter in Devland.
Image source: Supplied
