EFF supporters celebrate as Mashaba expropriates 37 abandoned factories

[Jopie Fourie]

I do not care about the expropriation of these 'factories'. What is scary though is so many of them closing down in one town. So much lost revenue, so much unemployment, evident of a failing economy.

 

[TheChamp]

" Owners untraceable and monies owing on these properties exceed their value " Yeah right, just another attempt at making a quick buck.

Such buildings are a reality in Joburg, Mashaba did not invent that.

 

[3WA]

So the constitutional amendment isn't needed at all.

 

[TheChamp]

In an industrial zone?

Not going to happen.

It's in Alexandra, I doubt there any factories still operating there, is there any law that prevents the municipality from rezoning the area?

 

[konfab]

Futile if you can't trace the owner(s). I've seen abandoned houses in good areas as well, where the yard is so overgrown I doubt owners still pay rates and taxes. I wondered if it's not crime "evicting" them but I noticed many houses in the are don't have electric fencing, high walls or burglar bars.

Maybe owners emigrated or passed away.

And who are you trusting to trace the owner? The corruption-free government of South Africa?

 

[ToxicBunny]

Auction it off, and if low cost housing is the best option that is what the developer will built.

Auction it off to who specifically?

 

[konfab]

It's in Alexandra, I doubt there any factories still operating there, is there any law that prevents the municipality from rezoning the area?

https://www.google.com/maps/place/2...5!1s0x0:0x0!4b1!8m2!3d-26.0977909!4d28.089406

Even for central planners, this is a retarded idea. Do you think you should build residential units next door to a factory that is manufacturing plastic products?

 

[konfab]

Auction it off to who specifically?

Someone who wants a cheap place to setup a small business.

 

[rietrot]

So the constitutional amendment isn't needed at all.

Only for the EFF that want to grab all property.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Someone who wants a cheap place to setup a small business.

OK.. That's a start.. Would you invest the money into the place as a private developer?

 

[konfab]

OK.. That's a start.. Would you invest the money into the place as a private developer?

No because because the city is run by a bunch of racial nationalists who don't believe in the concept of private property. They will simply allow criminals to loot the place.

How about this:
Take one of those expropriated properties and build a nice new metro police station for the area on top of it. Then use your new police station to make the area safe enough for people to want to invest their money there. The amount of social good a thriving industrial district can do for the area is worth far more than a paltry 3000 houses.

 

[rietrot]

OK.. That's a start.. Would you invest the money into the place as a private developer?

Many would.

 

[ToxicBunny]

No because because the city is run by a bunch of racial nationalists who don't believe in the concept of private property. They will simply allow criminals to loot the place.

How about this:
Take one of those expropriated properties and build a nice new metro police station for the area on top of it. Then use your new police station to make the area safe enough for people to want to invest their money there. The amount of social good a thriving industrial district can do for the area is worth far more than a paltry 3000 houses.

In theory I do not disagree with you on the police aspect, but I don't think it's an active choice by the city to let crime get out of control in an area so that they can expropriate buildings... Thst is a long term plan over a decade plus at least.

For now though we have an issue of housing and this is possibly a neatish way of achieving it so I'm not totally against this sort of thing in the short term, if long term interventions are also being established to rehab an area.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Many would.

I doubt any sane investor would pump money into the area and then spend further millions hoping for a return...

Even for guys who aren't sane, I don't see the levels of return versus the risk actually making any sense.

 

[konfab]

In theory I do not disagree with you on the police aspect, but I don't think it's an active choice by the city to let crime get out of control in an area so that they can expropriate buildings... Thst is a long term plan over a decade plus at least.

For now though we have an issue of housing and this is possibly a neatish way of achieving it so I'm not totally against this sort of thing in the short term, if long term interventions are also being established to rehab an area.

The foolish part is thinking that building people houses is a solution to the problem of poverty.

Low cost housing without any means of paying for it (aka a job) is simply serfdom. It makes people entirely dependant on the state.

 

[konfab]

Many would.

Plenty the city could do to help build it. Lower rates for example.

 

[rietrot]

I doubt any sane investor would pump money into the area and then spend further millions hoping for a return...

Even for guys who aren't sane, I don't see the levels of return versus the risk actually making any sense.

Risk vs reward. If the reward is great enough someone will take the risk.

 

[The_Librarian]

Everything For Free

 

[ToxicBunny]

Risk vs reward. If the reward is great enough someone will take the risk.

Of course... But Alexandria is a tough sell, the risk is massive so the reward would need to be equally massive...

 

[Polly101]

Depends on what they do with it. Clear out any sqauters. And auction it off and settle any outstanding money owed to the municipality and I'll be happy.

But the government doesn't need factories and isn't property developers.

this is exactly what they say they will do (as per the article)