Latest news with #NasiphiMoya
IOL News
19 hours ago
- Business
- IOL News
Transforming Pretoria West: How the City of Tshwane plans to reclaim properties for economic growth
The City of Tshwane team led by Mayor Nasiphi Moya targets illegal tenants in Pretoria West for urban renewal. Image: Supplied/City of Tshwane The City of Tshwane plans to lease reclaimed buildings in Pretoria West to legitimate businesses following the eviction of tenants with unpaid bills in a bid to stimulate economic growth and promote spatial justice before the Tshwane Investment Summit in September 2025. The move follows the City's recent issuance of eviction notices to illegal tenants occupying municipal buildings in the area, who owe over R26 million in unpaid rent for 12 properties and 35 stands. Visiting one of the properties that had been illegally occupied for years, Mayor Nasiphi Moya said the City envisions Pretoria West as a thriving manufacturing hub. She noted that the building had been occupied by these individuals for years without the City collecting rent. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ 'We have not been getting money for electricity and water and our people have not been using it to build their businesses,' she said. Kholofelo Morodi, mayco member for Corporate and Shared Services, said the city's Bad Buildings Committee has included the Pretoria West Precinct in the urban renewal strategy and investment readiness initiative to reclaim hijacked buildings. The urban renewal strategy seeks to revitalise neglected areas, safeguard municipal assets, and establish zones ready for economic development. Morodi described the high-impact operation in the Pretoria West Precinct as a success, underscoring the city's commitment to urban renewal, protecting assets, and investment readiness. 'This city-owned precinct had been unlawfully occupied by individuals without valid lease agreements or documentation. In addition to structural neglect and non-payment for services, authorities uncovered a network of illegal electricity connections — posing severe fire hazards and threatening to overload the grid, with implications for citywide energy stability and public safety,' she said. She explained that the operation forms part of the committee's mandate to systematically reclaim and reintegrate hijacked, misused, and unsafe assets into formal urban development frameworks. 'Pretoria West Precinct is one of many strategic properties the city will be securing and restoring to operational dignity. These buildings are not abandoned — they are being repositioned to fuel inclusive growth, job creation, and spatial justice ahead of the Tshwane Investment Summit in September 2025,' she said. She said the operation was carried out lawfully and peacefully, with coordination among key departments, including group property management, group legal, the city manager's office, and the Tshwane Metro Police Department, among others. Morodi said: 'The Pretoria West Precinct now forms part of Tshwane's broader Urban Renewal Strategy — a transformative blueprint to activate neglected urban spaces, safeguard municipal assets, and prepare spade-ready zones for catalytic development.' She vowed that the city will continue to step up multi-faceted operations across all seven regions, reclaiming hijacked infrastructure and transforming it into secure, functional, and economically thriving areas for everyone. In a recent operation, the city targeted a property housing over 20 shacks, where tenants were paying R1,500 to R2,000 per room. The city also issued bylaw contravention notices for two properties and had previously fined a nearby scrap yard dealership for constructing a wall that exceeded height limits without approval.
The Citizen
19 hours ago
- General
- The Citizen
Mixed reactions over Tshwane's service delivery app
The new Tshwane App has been met with a range of reactions from residents. While some are optimistic about its potential to streamline service delivery and help them manage their accounts, others remain deeply sceptical, referencing past unfulfilled promises and ongoing communication issues. The app, designed to transform service delivery in the city, was officially launched on July 10. Before the launch, Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya said it would allow residents to log service requests, track their progress and access billing information, bringing essential services to the convenience of their fingertips. However, not everyone is convinced the app will effectively improve service delivery issues. Pretoria North resident Nathan Grobler expressed scepticism about the app improving service delivery. 'What difference does it make to report issues faster if Tshwane still has not addressed the existing problems?' He shared that although they do receive acknowledgement emails and reference numbers, no action follows, and he believes the same will happen with the app. 'The app will not improve anything. Instead, it is going to create a backlog of reports that are not responded to.' Grobler said the lack of responsiveness from the metro will likely worsen with the introduction of the app. 'When you report an issue in person, it usually does not get fixed. Just imagine how much worse that will be through a digital platform,' he said. Tebogo Manamela from Soshanguve Block H shared that he faced struggles while trying to register on the app, expressing his doubt on its effectiveness. 'The app is not working, I could not register, although I followed all the instructions. It got stuck on invalid password,' he explained. He believes that the existing glitches in the app indicate that it will not improve service delivery or responses from the metro. 'You will log a report thinking it went through, only to find that a glitch on the app prevented it from being submitted,' he added. However, not all residents shared the same opinions about the app. Bathabile Mnguni from Mamelodi said the app will make things easy for her. 'Logging reports will be easy. I won't have to go to the municipal offices personally to report an issue. I also believe that queues at the offices will be reduced,' she said. She praised the app for its user-friendly features in viewing accounts and managing electricity and water consumption bills. 'It will remove the burden of having to collect statements from the offices. From now on, should I need my proof of residence, I will simply download it from the app without any hassles or costs,' she said. North resident Hellen Swarts believes that the Tshwane app could be effective if residents actively report issues. 'The WhatsApp channels have shown good results, and the app should make that even better. 'We should not be quick to judge the effectiveness of the app at the early stages,' she said. ALSO READ: New Ward 44 councillor vows to tackle service delivery Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to [email protected] 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!
The Citizen
a day ago
- The Citizen
Metro evicts illegal West businesses
The metro recently removed illegal tenants from a Pretoria West building, following eviction notices served last week. Mayor, dr Nasiphi Moya, says the city is owed over R26-million through its leasing of 12 properties with 35 stands. The businesses, which were operating illegally, were given a notice that expired on July 12, and on July 15, the officials returned to make sure that all occupants had vacated those properties. The mayor said, 'We closed this shop only to find out these people have been operating in the background. So, we have taken their cars, we are towing them, and they can go collect them from the pound. 'We are clearing this warehouse here. This Nigerian guy has been sending us from pillar to post, and we just want to clean this up. These people are so disrespectful. 'We've been giving them notice after notice, and even today, they were hoping we wouldn't be able to see that they were still operating on this property. 'This is the level of lawlessness that we must clean up so you can have your city back.' She says officials were met with resistance from a group of Nigerian men who were operating a scrap yard without valid leases with the city. After they refused to move, TMPD impounded all their vehicles. Moya says they were hoping officials wouldn't be back to reclaim the city property. The warehouse was cleared of over 10 illegally erected shacks, in addition to the businesses operating without permits. Moya says the effort is part of a broader plan to turn Pretoria West into a manufacturing hub for the city. 'When we say that we want to have Pretoria West become a manufacturing hub, this is what we mean. This is just one property, as you can see how big it is. 'It's been used by these people all these years; we have not been collecting leases, we have not been collecting money for the electricity or water, and our people have not been using it. 'We are reclaiming this city for you,' Moya said. MMC for Community Safety, Hannes Coetzee, says these types of operations can be expected across all seven regions. 'People ask what's happening. By-law enforcement at a high level. We're taking our city back. We cannot afford any longer for this lawlessness to continue. 'We need to restore this city, ensure the safety of our residents in all seven regions and restore Tshwane as a city of excellence,' Coetzee said. Watch here: Last week, there were over 10 shacks in this hijacked building. We've cleared this building of illegal occupants and the shacks that littered this spaces. We want to make use of the buildings we've reclaimed for social housing and business development. @CityTshwane — Dr Nasiphi Moya (@nasiphim) July 15, 2025 Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to [email protected] 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!
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Customer service overhaul aims to cut queues, boost attitudes
The Tshwane metro has started efforts to enhance customer experience. The mayor, Nasiphi Moya, conducted an important oversight visit to its customer care centres in Akasia and Rosslyn on June 15. According to her, the initiative was prompted by interactions with residents, which indicated that the services provided at the centres need improvement. 'Our residents have often complained about the attitude of our staff members and the long waiting times for assistance,' she said. She said the oversight visit was part of efforts to improve the quality of services by municipal staff. 'We have made it clear to our municipal workers that residents should see our offices as destinations for help and not places of frustration,' Moya said. She said that in January, the metro paid a visit to the Middestad Customer Care Centre, which is classified as a mega centre, offering all municipal-related services. Moya further mentioned that in the current financial year, a budget has been allocated for the revision of customer service offerings. 'We have set aside R304-million for our customer relations department to help fund the reconfiguration of our customer service offering.' According to her, the metro will in future be categorising its walk-in centres as mega, satellite or mobile. She stated that this will help expand services based on regional needs and capacity. 'In Region 1, the Akasia and Soshanguve Block F customer centres will be reclassified as mega-centres – expanding the services offered in the region,' she said. She added that the metro plans to upgrade its online customer service office and will be upgrading its existing virtual contact centre. Moya concluded that this upgrade should improve response times and enhance the quality of interactions with residents. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to [email protected] 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!
IOL News
5 days ago
- General
- IOL News
Investigation under way after deadly fire in Olievenhoutbosch Extension 25
The Olievenhoutbosch community is in mourning following the tragic deaths of five family members in a devastating shack fire. Image: Supplied/ City of Tshwane A devastating shack fire in Olievenhoutbosch Extension 25 has claimed the lives of five family members, leaving the community in shock and grief. The cause of the blaze is still under investigation. Tshwane Emergency Services spokesperson Lindsay Mnguni, said the fire was reported at around 5am on Friday morning, and firefighting resources were immediately dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, firefighters found that the four-room shack had been destroyed, and the five family members, including a senior citizen, one adult, and three minors, had fatally burned. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The City of Tshwane has offered support to the affected family, with Mayor Nasiphi Moya expressing condolences. "This family was devastated by a fire that engulfed their four-room shack, killing five family members. The loss of two children, two adults, and one elder can only be described as a tragedy," Moya said. Local ward councillor Kenneth Masha said the community is devastated by the loss of five family members and believes the tragic deaths should serve as a wake-up call for the government to address the housing issues in his ward. "Such incidents seem to become a norm in this area because of the housing problem in the area," he said, recalling a similar fire incident in the same street about a year and a half ago that claimed the lives of three family members. Residents claim that emergency services only arrived after the fire was already under control, with community members using buckets to extinguish the blaze. The cause of the fire remains unknown, with speculation surrounding the presence of electricity in the shack. Mnguni said various roleplayers were on the scene, working together to manage the incident. He urged communities to remain vigilant and be cautious during winter to prevent and eliminate incidents of this nature. To report any fire or rescue incident, members of the public can call 107 toll-free or 012 358 6300/6400. SAPS Tshwane district spokesperson Warrant Officer Marinda Austin has not yet confirmed whether the police are investigating a case of arson or opening an inquest docket.
