Research report submitted in accordance with the degree Masters in Management University of the Witwatersrand Public and Development Management , July 2016 / Originally, hostels were developed to accommodate migrant labour in urban areas. With the abolishment of influx control laws in 1986, informal settlements mushroomed close to hostel precincts as relatives and those seeking affordable housing in proximity of employment opportunities flocked to urban areas. Overcrowding, poor maintenance of hostels and the vandalism of the infrastructure resulted in hostels deteriorating and becoming unfit for hygienic human habitation. From the early 1990’s, the government adopted a number of measures (housing programmes) aimed at rehabilitating hostels and converting them into family units. The Hostel Redevelopment Programme as implemented to date has led to upgraded units being built but not allocated to the intended beneficiaries (hostel residents). This failure was partly the result of communication breakdown between hostel communities and local communities. This study attempts to comprehend factors that led to project communication breakdown between the project team and the hostel community. The Johannesburg Housing Company (JOSHCO) is the implementation agent on behalf of the City of Johannesburg tasked with converting single gender hostel compounds into affordable rental units. The report suggested public participation as the suitable process to solve the problem of communication between different actors in the hostel project. The legal framework of public housing emphasises the importance of public participation in the programme of housing provision. The discourse on public participation conceptualises community participation broadly as a strategy aimed at empowering citizens to have a voice in policies decisions that have a bearing on their lives. The legal framework espouses the philosophy of citizen’s involvement in developmental matters having the right to having their views reflected in policy decisions. This study tries to understand the effectiveness of the hostel redevelopment programme public consultation processes in influencing housing option provided to the residents of Diepkloof Hostel and the Orlando West Women’s Hostel. The design of this study is conceptualised using Project Management principles or knowledge areas, focusing specifically on Project Communication. The researcher is of the view that improving the effectiveness of the public participation process, factors that result in the non- occupation of hostels can be avoided. With the massive housing backlog still prevalent in South Africa, consensus is required between all stakeholders (especially hostel residents) on the type of units that are acceptable to the hostel community to provide for successful allocation process, thereby resulting in a successful handing over of housing products that will be sustainable in terms of affordability and give recipients the dignity of adequate shelter. / MT 2018

Student number: 0200613W Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment Master of Property Development and Management. / This paper is a report on the research undertaken to evaluate the implementation of the Urban Renewal strategies that the City of Johannesburg adopted for the CBD renewal through the Blue IQ. The study was restricted to the views expressed by the general community, business community, Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA). Johannesburg Housing Company (JHC), Blue IQ, Gauteng Development Agency and Gauteng Economic Development Agency (GEDA), which are the main role players in the CBD renewal effort. There was administered questioner to the members of the Business and general communities that were randomly picked using the fish bowl method. Interviews were conducted with the senior executive staff of JDA. Blue IQ, JHC. Statistics derived from the above company s websites was used as well. The results of the study show that the renewal strategy has been largely successful in so far as a number of factors, which have contributed to the CBD decay such as poor infrastructure and slumps. There have also been considerable efforts to address acute shortage of parking space by private partners such as financial institutions. Although crime has decreased it is still posing a serious challenge as most people still consider the CBD high risk. However there is still a room for improvement, which includes: the enhancement of safety and security, the infrastructure maintenance policy and the enforcement of the municipality by laws and town planning scheme. Overall the strategies have also improved the economic performance of the city significantly though unemployment still remain high with the ever increasing number of people coming to seek opportunities.