Joburg council demolishes illegal structures to build wellness centre

Johannesburg's development planning department demolished illegally built structures on top of municipal water and electrical lines to make way for a municipal project in Klipfontein View, Midrand, on Wednesday. 

A car wash and a vehicle repair shop built on the municipal land were inhibiting electrical and water connection access and compromising the continuous provision of services to surrounding areas, the city said.

The city's MMC of development planning, Eunice Mgcina, led a multi-unit operation to demolish several illegally erected structures on council-owned land.

The land is earmarked for a wellness centre which will include a clinic. The construction is under way but work was stopped by the  illegal businesses that were encroaching and impeding progress.

Mgcina said the city would no longer tolerate lawlessness.

“We are going after all those people who continue to either violate or disregard notices for them to comply with our building and zoning bylaws — across the city,” she said.

The operation marked the beginning of a citywide blitz to demolish all structures that were not compliant with regulations and zoning bylaws, she said. 

The businesses were demolished after the city served violation notices on owners, telling them to demolish their illegal structures but they allegedly failed to comply.

“We continue to issue violation notices to people, and they continue to ignore them. They take advantage because we are required by law to exhaust all available legal avenues and these processes take time. 

“These lengthy legal processes also deplete our financial resources which could be used for other much-needed services in the city. However, we are determined to deal with transgressors and we are not going to back down,” she said.

According to the department, there are 15 other residential properties illegally built on the same land and now occupied. The process to deal with these houses is before the Johannesburg high court and the city is confident the structures will be demolished.

Ward councillor Dimakatso Moloisane said the building of illegal structures was rife in his ward. 

“People are building illegal structures on land that is not suitable for construction. The moment you do that and there is any disaster or flooding, we are blamed for not moving people. There is a need for houses but we can’t allow people to build on land that is not suitable and not theirs,” he said. 

Some of the residents had built close to riverbanks just a few metres from the flood line. He said during the rainy season, houses might be flooded. 

“It is sad when we engage in a civil manner with the communities and they don't listen. I think we need to find suitable ways to educate people about bylaws.”

The council had communicated often with business owners who had built their structures on municipal water and electricity lines, Moloisane added.

“We have engaged with them, I think about 10 times.”

He said one business owner swore and threatened “not only me but also the city officials”.

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