Business

Tshwane Moves Closer to Expropriating Abandoned Buildings as Safety Fears Grow

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3 hours ago

November 17, 2025

Chiraag

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A city tired of crumbling buildings

In central Tshwane, it takes only a short walk to see where the city’s frustration comes from. Cracked windows, fire hazards, and buildings swallowed by illegal occupation have become familiar shadows across Pretoria’s older neighbourhoods. Now the metro is moving ahead with a tougher plan that could change the landscape completely.

The city has confirmed that it is preparing to use the Expropriation Act to take control of abandoned, unsafe, and hijacked buildings when owners refuse to act. This shift comes after years of stalled enforcement and growing concern for resident safety.

The crackdown begins

So far, Tshwane has issued thirty-three contravention notices worth a combined one hundred and sixty-five thousand rand to owners whose buildings have collapsed into neglect. But the real turning point is the proposed Problem Building and Property Management Bylaw. It has already passed council approval and is now open for public comment.

If adopted early next year, the bylaw will give Tshwane sharper legal authority. Owners will receive compliance notices that instruct them to fix safety problems, deal with illegal occupation, or restore basic maintenance. If they ignore those orders, the city will move to expropriate the property.

MMC for corporate and shared services, Kholofelo Morodi, said the metro finally has a clear legal path to act against absentee landlords who have allowed buildings to become hazardous. She noted that Tshwane is losing millions in unpaid water, electricity, and rates from structures that have fallen into disrepair or have been taken over illegally.

Expanding the clean-up effort

Tshwane’s bad buildings programme started in the inner city but will soon extend into Sunnyside, Pretoria West, and other high-risk corridors. City officials say the goal is simple. Restore safety. Reclaim neighbourhoods. Stop financial haemorrhaging from buildings that no longer function legally or safely.

This year, Tshwane confirmed that it intended to use the Expropriation Act to target abandoned and derelict buildings. The law, signed in January, sets out how the government can acquire land or property and outlines conditions where compensation may or may not be required. The Act allows expropriation in the public interest. Tshwane says this is exactly the basis for its approach.

National tension enters the picture

The city’s plan comes at a time when comments from Deputy President Paul Mashatile have pushed national debate into sharper focus. During a parliamentary session, he reaffirmed the ANC’s commitment to land expropriation without compensation. He also argued that President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Expropriation Act to allow the government to continue expropriating property even though efforts to amend Section 25 of the Constitution failed.

Mashatile stated that the government is moving faster on expropriation. His remarks sparked renewed concern about how widely the Act might be applied in the future.

Civil society groups were quick to respond. AfriForum’s Head of Public Relations, Ernst van Zyl, said that repeated statements from senior government leaders show that the risk to property rights should not be downplayed. The organisation maintains that the Act allows property to be seized without compensation and says it will continue to raise awareness locally and internationally.

Tshwane insists its focus is specific

Despite national debates, the metro maintains that it is focused on one problem. Buildings that are unsafe, abandoned, or hijacked. Tshwane says the aim is to protect residents and restore financial stability in areas where property owners have disengaged completely.

The city is confident that the bylaw will push owners to take responsibility before the extreme step of expropriation becomes necessary. For communities living next to collapsing buildings, the hope is that real change will finally reach their streets.