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WATCH: Kenny Kunene closes crèche, says homeless foreigners destroying bridge in Joburg CBD
He also lamented the hijacked buildings in the CBD, which are allegedly using illegal electricity and water.
Acting Joburg mayor Kenny Kunebne with law enforcement agencies inspect homeless encampments near Braamfontein cemetery in Johannesburg, 2 July 2025, located under Joburg's bridges. Acting City of Johannesburg Mayor Kenny Kunene led an operation targeting buildings allegedly occupied by undocumented immigrants. Picture: Nigel Sibanda/ The Citizen
Acting Johannesburg Mayor Kenny Kunene took Operation Kunakisa to the inner city on Wednesday, where he inspected buildings and homeless encampments located under bridges.
Accompanied by members of the mayoral committee, Kunene's inspection is part of the mayor's high-impact service delivery programme, which aims to enhance community services.
'The City [of Johannesburg] acknowledges that tackling homelessness requires coordinated efforts from officials, community organisations and residents. This initiative aims to assess living conditions and identify solutions to address homelessness,' said the city in a statement on Wednesday.
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Kunene accused the homeless foreigners of destroying some of the bridges in the CBD.
'We went to the bridges today because we heard that the bridge on Smith [street], which has collapsed twice in less than a year, and we went to see the damage that is being caused on the bridges by these illegal foreigners. We also went to the off-ramp of Selby and saw the damage that is being caused. So, it is not only taking jobs from South Africans and hijacking buildings, but they're also destroying the infrastructure of South Africans,' said Kunene.
Kunene on hijacked buildings
He further lamented the hijacked buildings in the CBD, which are reportedly using illegal electricity and water that is not paid for, and consequently costing the city.
'We're not collecting from over 600 buildings, let alone buildings that are owned by private. We're losing a significant amount of revenue in services, rates, and taxes, as well as electricity and water. There are water leakages, but water is also being redirected illegally to these buildings and houses,' said Kunene.
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'City Power now has a backlog and debt to Eskom, but we can't account for the consumption of electricity because it goes to houses illegally and buildings. We're on this programme this winter to assist City Power so that law-abiding citizens get electricity. Now, people end up not getting electricity because of illegal connections. We're assisting residents in easing and limiting the burden on the power grid by disconnecting these illegal connections.'
He said the City's initiative would ultimately save some jobs for South Africans, as foreigners are hired and paid less than minimum wages, in favour of locals.
'Some of these foreign nationals, or most of these illegal foreign nationals, when they come here, they're being paid slave salaries and being treated like slaves. But at the expense of South Africans getting jobs. So, the exercise that we're doing is part of job creation for South Africans.'
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