Soweto residents celebrate demolition of property obstructing electric transformer installation

Residents of Tladi Camp informal settlement are celebrating after a property obstructing the installation of an electric transformer was demolished.

The Soweto community members have been living without electricity since the settlement was established more than 30 years ago.

The Department of Human Settlements in Johannesburg led the demolition on Tuesday and said it’s part of its efforts to formalise the informal area.

Residents were ululating and singing as the TLB broke down the brick-and-mortar structure that was once the home of a family.

The grandson of the rightful owner of the house was among the residents who were celebrating, saying the house had been the subject of a family dispute since 2011, after his grandfather died.

He said the city provided alternative accommodation for them, but his grandmother secretly rented out the house before the city could demolish it.

She was locked in a court battle for about five years, but in 2026, she lost the fight and was issued an eviction notice.

The grandson said he is happy that the matter has been concluded.

“I am happy to see this progress because the residents here have been waiting a long time, and the hindrance was one person, so we are relieved.”

Johannesburg MMC for Human Settlements, Mlungisi Mabaso, said they can now begin their work.

“In two consecutive financial years, the budget was made available for the electrification, then Eskom said, ‘You see, City of Johannesburg, we are not going to allocate funds for this project until you demolish the structure’.”

At the time of the demolition, the property was empty.