Metro tackles non-compliant Sunnyside buildings and businesses

The Citizen

24-06-2025

The metro is calling on property and business owners in Sunnyside to get their houses in order following a recent by-law operation in the CBD.
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
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