The City of Johannesburg detained 55 undocumented foreigners, including children, during a High Impact Service Delivery Operation targeting hijacked and illegally occupied properties in Region E on 02 July 2026.
The multi-disciplinary operation was led by Executive Deputy Mayor and MMC for Finance Cllr Loyiso Masuku and MMC for Transport Cllr Kenny Kunene. The operation forms part of the City's ongoing efforts to strengthen law enforcement, improve compliance, protect municipal assets and recover lost revenue.
Officials inspected properties in Bryanston, Sundown and Rivonia, where they uncovered illegally extended buildings containing multiple subdivided rooms housing large numbers of tenants.
Authorities also identified illegal water and electricity connections, contributing to significant revenue losses. One property in Rivonia owes the City more than R1 million in unpaid municipal accounts while accommodating over 40 occupants.
Cllr Masuku said the City conducts these weekly operations to tackle illegal connections, enforce compliance and recover money owed to the municipality.
“We discovered properties with illegally built extensions comprising dozens of overcrowded rooms. Many are connected unlawfully to municipal services, resulting in substantial revenue losses that should support service delivery," she said.
She added that officials from the Department of Home Affairs identified several undocumented foreigners during the operation.
Level three disconnections were carried out to remove infrastructure linked to illegal water and electricity connections and to prevent further losses.
Cllr Kunene said the operation followed complaints from residents about suspicious activity, unlawful occupation and growing municipal debt linked to certain Sandton properties.
“Where evidence exists that property owners are harbouring undocumented foreigners or facilitating unlawful activities, the City will work with relevant law enforcement agencies to ensure accountability. We will intensifying these operations to protect municipal assets, uphold the law, and ensure compliance across Johannesburg," he added.
The City said it will continue intensifying these operations to restore law and order, protect infrastructure and ensure property owners and occupants comply with municipal regulations.
Written by Zingiswa Mndayi
03/07/2026
Recommended for you:
Mayor Morero leads High-Impact Service Delivery in Ivory Park
High-impact Service Delivery programme disconnects building with R2.3 million debt
High-impact service delivery programme reshapes Johannesburg's inner city
MMC Sekwaila leads high-impact service delivery operation in Ivory Park
To stay informed about the latest developments in the City, connect with us on:
X: @CityofJoburgZA
Facebook: City of Joburg
Instagram: @CityofJoburg
TikTok: @CityofJoburg
Threads: @cityofjoburg
LinkedIn: City of Johannesburg
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CityOfJoburgZA/videos
