2 days ago
Tshwane municipality issues warning to landlords illegally subdividing apartments
An operation in Sunnyside and Arcadia found apartment blocks with two bedroom units split into five bedrooms.
The City of Tshwane has taken steps to eradicate non-compliant housing in the metro.
An operation consisting of law enforcement, private security and city officials was held on Thursday night to crack down on illegally partitioned apartment blocks.
Teams inspected multiple buildings and a warning has been issued to owners and landlords to rectify the situation or face having the buildings cleared out.
Exploitative landlords
Sunnyside, Arcadia and the surrounding suburbs in Pretoria are hotspots for illegally partitioned apartment blocks.
In these apartment blocks, units are subdivided to double or sometimes triple the number of rentable spaces.
'During the operation, our teams discovered multiple private flats that had been illegally partitioned, transforming originally approved two-bedroom units into cramped five-bedroom spaces,' stated Housing and Human Settlements MMC Aaron Maluleka.
Landlords made these alterations without official approval, creating dangerous living spaces as they attempt to maximise their profits.
'Landlords are exploiting the high demand for affordable housing by charging exorbitant rent between R2 000 and R2 500 per space while ignoring critical safety regulations,' Maluleka explained.
The city states that these buildings are structurally compromised and are a 'ticking time bomb for potential disasters' which could be easily preventable.
Compliance warning
Tshwane has also clamped down on non-compliant businesses who operate with licences or in contravention of their permit allowances.
The city has warned landlords that these practises will not be tolerated and demand that illegally partitioned buildings be restored to their approved layouts.
All alterations must comply with all municipal by-laws, occupancy limits and safety standards and must be approved by building control and the fire department.
Municipal officials will be scouring the targeted areas in the coming weeks to ensure landlords are meeting their obligations.
'Failure to adhere to these directives will result in swift legal action, including fines, forced evacuations and the condemnation of non-compliant buildings,' Maluleka concluded.
NOW READ: Tshwane mayor vows to fix city's leasing system as illegal business closed during raid
