Contrary to claims by the Gauteng government, residents of Alphabet Flats in Eldorado Park, Johannesburg, say maintenance has not been carried out on the buildings in almost a decade.

The Gauteng Department of Human Settlements says it is continuing to maintain Alphabet Flats in Eldorado Park, Johannesburg, but residents say there has been no maintenance since 2015 and the buildings are in a dangerous state of disrepair.

A recent visit by Daily Maverick confirmed the residents' concerns, revealing crumbling structures.

From blocks AA to RR, the Alphabet Flats in Eldorado Park's Extension 1 house around 300 families, with an average of seven people per unit. Each block tells a story of neglect, with electricity issues, sewage spills, collapsing structures and uncollected garbage.

The flats, built during the apartheid era, are overcrowded and crumbling, housing multiple generations of the same families in two-bedroom apartments.

Residents say the last time their flats were refurbished was in 2015, nearly a decade ago, despite ongoing promises by the government. The area's high crime rate and what residents, who are mostly coloured, describe as "racial profiling" have only added to the challenges.

The community said they were promised refurbishment and title deeds two years ago, but the government's focus had shifted to the installation of water and electricity meters, which residents...