Today, the Johannesburg Council approved the initiation of a public participation process on the possible lease or disposal of the Killarney Country Club, a motion the GOOD Party fully supports.
The site in question spans over 111 hectares of prime public land in one of Johannesburg’s wealthiest suburbs. Until recently, this vast and valuable property was leased for a mere R2 per year. Even after adjustments, the rent remains under R2,000 a year, less than the cost of renting a backroom in Soweto for a single month.
This is not just a question of rent. It’s a question of justice.
GOOD has consistently championed the principle that public land must be used for public good. That means prioritising land for housing, education, recreation, and community development, not for elite leisure clubs with a history of exclusivity.
As this process moves forward, we urge residents and civil society to participate meaningfully. The City must treat public input not as a box-ticking exercise, but as a genuine opportunity to reimagine how land can serve the broader public interest.
Why shouldn’t we explore options like mixed-income housing, student accommodation, affordable rentals, or inclusive sporting facilities? Why default to another long-term lease for the benefit of a few?
This is a rare chance to begin correcting the spatial injustices inherited from apartheid planning, where privilege and poverty remain divided by concrete walls and geography.
GOOD will continue to advocate for outcomes that reflect the values of inclusion, redress, and accountability.
Let’s make public land work for all.
GOOD Community Engagement: The party encourages active community participation in governance.
Rook
Kazakhstan: You have two cows. They are both better cows than cows from Uzbekistan, who have bones in their brain.
Danger Menace
A new teacher enters a classroom full of students.
The teacher stands at the front of the room and greets the students, \”Good morning, class.\”
None of the students say anything. One boy at the back of the classroom stands up, \”Good morning, teacher.\”
Puzzled, the teacher carries on. The following morning, the same thing happens. Day after day goes by, and it\’s the same routine.
One morning after greeting the class and the same student standing and greeting, the teacher has had enough, \”Why is it, that every time I walk in and greet the entire room, only you stand up and greet me?\”
In the most broken English, the boy replies, \”Because I are the only one here, what\’s name are Klass\”