Makhulong a Matala activities for young professionals living at JHC

Makhulong a Matala activities for young professionals living at JHC

Finding affordable housing for young professionals who are in the low to mid-income earning segments is a challenge in South Africa. If you search for housing for young adults near you, you’ll find a lot of high-cost housing; putting young adults in disadvantaged positions.

However, the availability of social housing bridges this gap in many ways.

What is social housing in South Africa?

Social housing refers to government-subsidised rental homes, explicitly made for earners between R1 500 to R15 000 segments. These are the types of social housing rentals in Johannesburg that the Johannesburg Housing Company (JHC) offers. Read more about social housing in the Jozi housing market and how it benefits young adults in our previous article.

JHC properties are more than rental homes

When young adults finally find an affordable flat to rent, it’s important for them to feel like they belong. At JHC, we ensure our properties are not just rental homes for people to live in. We ensure young professionals are aware that their occupancy is not simply a rental paycheque. We help them meet new friends, make social connections with people from different age groups and backgrounds.

We also help them build a community they can trust and be excited to come home to after a long day at work. We ensure they have something to look forward to and contribute towards, and we do this through the Makhulong A Matala (MAM) activities.

The Makhulong a Matala activities at JHC

The Makhulong a Matala (MAM) is a body that aims to turn JHC buildings into homes. The MAM team strives to create a vibrant sense of community where people can live in safety and comfort through social cohesion and integration.

The activities start with tenant induction, which is a welcoming gesture to give new tenants an idea of the type of home they’ve moved into. They also get to see the kind of people they will be living with and around. An induction gives them an opportunity to view the rental home and the neighbourhood to get a sense of how it all fits into their lifestyles. The induction also educates them on the roles and responsibilities of both the tenant and the landlord.

Once they settle in, they are able to participate in other activities such as occasional fitness-related activities and fun holiday-related events like Christmas parties. They get to have health checks done for free at their respective residencies. Of course, this is not forced upon any tenant; it’s voluntary for tenants who wish to have their health checked.

They can even participate in the process of food production through the food gardens initiative. In addition, they can choose to be part of the anti-litter and recycling projects to ensure that the homes and environment they live in is kept clean at all times. These activities are continually evolving.

Finally, the children of leaseholders get an opportunity to apply for bursaries to take up trade courses and studies at local FET colleges should they fit the stipulated criterion. The demand for artisan skills remains high as the shortage of artisan-skilled individuals is evident in the South African job market. This article explains how SA is desperate for qualified artisans. For more information on this, please contact us.

Final thoughts

Young adults who live in a JHC building are provided with many opportunities beyond affordable accommodation. If you’re looking for affordable flats to rent around Johannesburg, where you will be more than just a tenant, connect with us today. We’ll make your stay at one of our properties feel like a tight-knit community you will be happy to be part of.