Dealing with illegally occupied buildings more complex than it seems, says Joburg Mayor

JOHANNESBURG - Newly elected Joburg Mayor Dada Morero says issues related to the hijacking of buildings in the inner city of Joburg are far more complex than they seem.

Saturday marks the anniversary of the deaths of over 70 people who perished when the illegally occupied Usindiso building caught fire.

The tragic incident has since shed the spotlight on the hijacking of buildings in the Johannesburg CBD, with thousands of people living in appalling conditions.

The city of Joburg previously confirmed there are 188 hijacked buildings in the metro, with at least 14 of them belonging to the State, and the rest being under private ownership.

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Morero said the city doesn’t have enough capacity to deal with the illegal occupation of buildings on its own.

“It is also important to note that the challenges of the inner city are much bigger than we thought. And in fact, we require as many partnerships as possible, including provincial government. So, there are other options we are now looking at.”

Before the city can evict occupants from hijacked buildings in the CBD, the law mandates that it should secure alternative accommodation.

Additionally, the city must obtain a court order granting permission to evict residents from illegally occupied properties.