Alleged Bryanston property hijacker Lawrence Ramalwa was granted bail of R1,000 by the Randburg magistrate’s court on Friday.
The court was told Ramalwa has no previous convictions.
The case was postponed to February 27.
He was arrested during a City of Johannesburg raid of a property in Grosvenor Road after investigators secured three witness statements linking him to the illicit collection of rentals from tenants.
The property, valued at R5.1m, had been illegally retrofitted with makeshift rooms to house numerous occupants. Officials discovered that electricity and water services had been unlawfully reinstated after being disconnected years before by the previous owner.
City manager Floyd Brink said 17 additional properties in wards 102 and 104 are currently under investigation for similar infringements.
TimesLIVE
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