Development Control: Bad Buildings

Background


Projects


Legal actions In Progress

Legal actions finalized

About

Inner-City Cleanup Action: July 2004

Nelson Mandela Cleanup

Report on Marabastad Cleanup action - March 2005

Feedback on Marabastad Cleanup Action: 29 September 2005

The Graffiti Team

Maraba Team

Officials

Fire safety contibution

Background

In recent years, the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality (CTMM) has had to grapple with the problem of so-called bad buildings in the inner city. This has been caused by businesses moving out and leaving many buildings abandoned.

Migrants from rural areas are keen to rent space in these buildings to solve their housing problems. However, the so-called slum lords who own the buildings ask exorbitant rentals for small rooms (sometimes shared) with no services. Moreover, in many instances the buildings are not maintained and become dangerous structures where living conditions are unhealthy.

The use of land/property in the inner city has changed as follows:
• Office blocks are being used for residential purposes.
• Buildings are being converted into tenements.
• Residential flats are being converted into smaller units.
• Residential premises are being used for general business purposes.

To address the problem of bad buildings, the Senior Executive Officer of the CTMM's Housing, City Planning and Environmental Management Department established the Bad Buildings Team in 2004, consisting of representatives of the Environmental Health Division, the Building Control Section, the Fire Safety Section (Tshwane area), the Electricity Department, the Tshwane Metropolitan Police Department and the Development Control Section (City Planning).

The team aims to:
• Identify bad buildings
• Investigate buildings
• Upgrade buildings
• Create a healthy and safe environment for residents
• Encourage development in the inner city.