The City of Joburg has taken drastic action on building approval abuse by issuing 54 demolition orders that will see these structures flattened to the ground.
The city warned that the days of developers hiding behind temporary building permits were over. It plans to carry out the demolition orders within the next few months – two of which will be done before the end of August.
Amolemo Mothoagae, the city’s director of development planning, said there had been some internal problems within the department, but these were being sorted out.
These included the suspension of the building control officer in April for misconduct. He was charged regarding irregularities in the issuing of Section 7(6) notices (provisional building authority), to developers, resulting in developments taking place without approved plans.
Many construction companies apply for, and hide behind, this approval without going through the other proper building application procedures. These approvals are valid for only three months and yet are being used over many months as an excuse to continue building.
Before being issued with these temporary permits, the city has to be satisfied that all planning regulations have been complied with before any above-ground structural work can start.
“We are examining the legal processes and the status of these orders. We are very serious about this now and the mayor, Herman Mashaba, has instructed that all illegally built structures be demolished.”
Mothoagea said some smaller demolitions had already taken place, such as one in Alexandra, where a property owner had made illegal additions, including building over a water and sewage pipe.