Public Housing Department
Welcome to the Public Housing Department. Find out more about what we do and how you can reach us.
What we do
The Public Housing Department manages and maintains the City’s rental housing portfolio also known as Community Residential Units (CRUs).
Our work supports the City’s goal of delivering safe, dignified, and affordable rental housing to qualifying residents, while promoting integrated, caring, and well-run communities.
When available, we also administer the sale and transfer of eligible rental dwellings, such as free-standing houses and maisonettes, to qualifying individuals.
"My aim is to ensure that not only does the City but all its roles players recognise and support the need and desire of low-income households, by providing sustainable opportunities for its residents."
Nolwandle Gqiba
Executive Director: Human Settlements
We include
Housing estate offices
Housing estate offices provide a range of services including attending to queries such as logging faults, assisting with housing applications, housing database registrations, and processing Council housing applications.
Home ownership options
We identified 5 205 Council-owned rental units across the metro that can be sold, many of which are still available. If you are renting any of the properties that we have identified for sale, you can apply to buy the property and become the legal owner.
You can find out if the property you are renting is for sale by contacting your nearest housing office.
Upgrades and maintenance
The upgrades and maintenance branch is in charge of all maintenance issues that arise in Council-owned rental units. It is responsible for managing maintenance in line with health and safety regulations in all public housing facilities.
Here is a step-by-step process for maintenance repairs:
Step 1: Tenants can report a problem/complaint at their Human Settlements tenancy/housing office. A reference number is then immediately issued for tracking purposes.
Step 2: Depending on the priority, it could take up to 14 working days for complaints to be assessed. Maintenance depots then categorise the request into one of the following priority levels:
|
Priority level |
Request |
Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency | Burst pipes, electrical faults creating danger, collapsing structures, and unsafe staircases. | 24 - 72 hours |
| Urgent | Serious leaks, damaged doors/locks compromising safety, and blocked drains. | 1 - 7 days |
| Routine | Ceiling repairs, non-dangerous window issues, minor plumbing, and non-urgent electrical work. | 7 - 21 days |
| Planned maintenance | Roof or window replacements, major structural upgrades, or staircase rebuilds. | This depends on the overall repairs required. If the depot can attend to it, it can be done in a few weeks. If it needs to be outsourced to an external service provider, it can take a few months based on budget availability. |
Step 3: The job is then allocated to contractors / depot team and could then take between 2 and 14 working days. Depot teams handle small repairs while external contractors handle larger or specialised repairs.
Step 4: For repairs involving specialised works or major construction, eg. staircases, windows or roofing, approval and procurement might be needed and will take between 1 and 4 weeks.
Housing needs register
The Housing Needs Register manages the process through which you can register for, and are advised of, available housing opportunities. You can access the branch’s services through the various housing offices across the city.
You may want to
Contact us
General enquiries
Telephone:
021 444 0333
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