Metro tackles non-compliant Sunnyside buildings and businesses
A targeted operation was conducted in Sunnyside on June 20 to address the alarming rise in illegal and overcrowded private accommodation and illegally operated businesses.
Stakeholders included the Integrated By-laws Enforcement Committee (IBEC), the Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD), SAPS, Gauteng Traffic Wardens, private security companies and economic development, health and finance officials.
MMC for Human Settlements Aaron Maluleka said he witnessed first-hand the blatant disregard for municipal by-laws and the dangerous living conditions imposed on vulnerable residents, including students and young workers.
'During the operation, our teams discovered multiple private flats that had been illegally partitioned, transforming originally approved two-bedroom units into cramped five-bedroom spaces,' Maluleka said.
He said law enforcement remains a top priority for the coalition government and that they are committed to rooting out transgressions that threaten public safety and economic development.
'These unauthorised modifications were carried out without the necessary approvals from building control or the fire department, putting occupants at severe risk. Landlords are exploiting the high demand for affordable housing by charging exorbitant rent (between R2 000 and R2 500 per space) while ignoring critical safety regulations,' Maluleka said.
The MMC said the structural integrity of these buildings has been severely compromised, describing it as a ticking time bomb for potential disasters, such as fires, building collapses or health hazards.
He said in those instances of disaster, the responsibility lies with local government, despite the factors leading to such disasters being preventable.
He added that the metro will not compromise the lives of its citizens for financial gain, as he issued a final warning to property owners in Sunnyside, Arcadia and surrounding areas to adhere to the following conditions:
– Cease illegal partitioning and revert buildings to their approved structures.
– Obtain the necessary permits from building control and the fire department.
– Ensure compliance with all municipal by-laws, including occupancy limits and safety standards.
'Failure to adhere to these directives will result in swift legal action, including fines, forced evacuations and the condemnation of non-compliant buildings. Our building control and fire department teams will conduct follow-up inspections in the coming days, and any violations will be met with zero tolerance,' Maluleka said.
Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya, who was also in attendance at the Sunnyside operation, said it was tiring dealing with the same culprits on previous occasions, referring to store and club owners that refuse to adhere to by-law regulations.
'A few weeks ago, we were here and we closed down all these shops because they are not complying. They opened, we came back, we closed them down, they opened, and now we're back again. Really, it's tiring. These people are something else, the audacity and sheer disrespect for our laws, and we also dropped the ball because they were never supposed to be allowed to reopen,' Moya said.
Moya was outside the street that houses the popular nightspot House 22. That club and many other businesses have been served with eviction notices during the operation.
Stakeholders also arrested multiple undocumented foreign nationals, closed down a spaza being run by an asylum seeker, and another store selling food and other products without adhering to health regulations.
The metro said it recognises the need for affordable housing, but insists that local economic development thrives only when communities are secure and laws are respected.
MMC for Corporate and Shared Services, as well as the Chairperson of the Mayoral Bad Buildings Subcommittee, Kholofelo Morodi, said Sunnyside is very, very problematic to the residents and they are taking back the city bit by bit.
Morodi and the committee met with the Embassy of China alongside major Chinese state-owned enterprises earlier this month to discuss land-use models that could be used in high-density areas.
'Tshwane's inner city, particularly the CBD, remains a focal point of the city's urban renewal strategy. The city is committed to reversing the decline of the CBD and repositioning it as a functional, clean and safe environment that attracts investment and restores public confidence.
'The city is committed to receiving abandoned buildings, enforcing by-laws, and partnering with both local and international stakeholders,' she added.
Residents are urged to report illegal accommodation via the TMPD hotline or their nearest police station.
Watch here:
We made some arrests during our by-law operation in Sunnyside. @CityTshwane pic.twitter.com/wrjemakEld
— Dr Nasiphi Moya (@nasiphim) June 19, 2025
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok.
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App
Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Eyewitness News
2 days ago
- Eyewitness News
Suspended City of Ekurhuleni CIO Monyepao demands public apology from mayor over alleged defamatory statements
JOHANNESBURG - Ekurhuleni's suspended chief information officer, Moloko Monyepao, is demanding a public apology from Mayor Doctor Xhakaza over statements he believes are defamatory. Monyepao has sent a letter of demand to the mayor, warning that if a formal apology is not made, he will pursue a defamation lawsuit. This follows remarks made by Zhakaza, in which he questioned why the city's senior auditor, Mpho Mafole, was murdered shortly after submitting a report identifying those responsible for a R2 billion revenue shortfall. Monyepao was suspended in April for alleged negligence, which is believed to have enabled the revenue shortfall to go unnoticed for months on end. Slain Ekurhuleni auditor, Mpho Mafole, was investigating, among other matters, the municipality's unexplained R2 billion revenue shortfall at the time of his murder. Xhakaza recently disclosed that in one of Mafole's reports, the auditor recommended that criminal charges be laid against one of the officials suspended in connection with the shortfall. CMonyepao, who is currently suspended over the same matter, said that the mayor's remarks suggested that he may have had a role in Mafole's killing. Monyepao is now demanding a public apology from the mayor, insisting there is no substantial evidence to support such an implication. He said that the statements had caused irreparable damage to his professional reputation and future career prospects. The mayor's office is yet to respond to EWN's request for comment.
Eyewitness News
2 days ago
- Eyewitness News
Suspended Ekurhuleni official threatens legal action against Xhakaza over alleged defamation
JOHANNESBURG - The City of Ekurhuleni's suspended chief information officer (CIO), Moloko Monyepao, is threatening legal action against Mayor Doctor Xhakaza over what he believes are defamatory statements made against him. Monyepao alleges that Xhakaza has unwittingly implicated him in the murder of slain senior municipal auditor Mpho Mafole. Earlier in July, Xhakaza disclosed that Mafole was investigating a significant R2 billion revenue shortfall at the time of his murder. Monyepao was suspended in April on allegations of negligence for failing to take the necessary steps to prevent the revenue loss. Xhakaza previously questioned why auditor Mafole was killed shortly after submitting a report that implicated suspended officials in the disappearance of R2 billion. 'It's one thing you prepare a charge sheet for suspended officials, and once you deliver it, something happens. We don't want to draw up linkages, but if you are involved in this type of work and you get shot, it can't just be a random thing.' Monyepao claimed that Xhakaza's comments have indirectly associated him with the killing of the auditor. Monyepao has since issued a letter of demand to Xhakaza, calling for a retraction of the statements. He has warned that failure to do so will result in a defamation lawsuit. He insisted the mayor's remarks have tarnished his reputation and firmly denies any involvement in Mafole's murder.
The Herald
2 days ago
- The Herald
Teen addict tells of assault at illegal drug 'rehab' that killed his brother
A 17-year-old who was allegedly tortured at an illegal drug rehabilitation centre with his brother, who later died, has told of how they were assaulted and starved for days. The teen, who cannot be named as he is under age, and his 28-year-old sibling, Jacob Sekgotla, were taken to the Appreciate Disciplinary Camp on July 2 after they were assaulted by Appreciate Makhubele in front of their mother, Maggie, at their home in Motjeketla village in Limpopo. He recalled how he and his brother were beaten up and not given food over the next few days. Their mother paid R2,000 for them to be taken to the camp. 'Our mother called Appreciate [Makhubele] to come fetch us and take us to his camp. He was very furious and beat us in front of my mother. He told us to apologise to her. The beatings continued at the camp,' said the teen. 'At some stage, I just stood and watched my brother being severely beaten like a hardened criminal with a chain and pipe. We were defenceless, hungry and thirsty, but nothing was offered to us. 'Jacob was stomped on and was bleeding profusely. There were other boys at the camp, but there was no way they could intervene,' he said. The teen said Makhubele called their mother on July 10 when he realised that Jacob was unwell. Sekgotla said Makhubele suggested that they take Jacob to a traditional healer, but she took him to hospital due to the severity of his injuries. He died at Mankweng hospital two days later. Limpopo police spokesperson Col Malesela Ledwaba said Makhubele was arrested on July 22 and has been charged with murder. 'Forensic postmortem analysis was conducted on July 18 2025, and a pathologist confirmed that the deceased had sustained severe injuries. A case of an inquest [which was initially opened] was then changed to murder on July 21 and [the matter] transferred to Modjadjiskloof police for further investigations.' Makhubele is expected to apply for bail in the Modjadjiskloof magistrate's court on Thursday. Sekgotla said her sons started using drugs in 2007 at a time when she had been admitted to hospital with lung complications. When she was discharged, she said she battled for years to get them to stop using drugs. 'I was so sick I had no choice but to leave my sons alone, as their elder sister had just got married. Every month, I made sure that I sent them money. Little did I know that they were using it to buy drugs,' she said.
