Joburg CBD crackdown reaches Marble Towers with court-backed demolition

The City of Johannesburg has intensified its campaign to reclaim the inner city, with Marble Towers becoming the latest target in a coordinated operation aimed at enforcing municipal by-laws, improving public safety and restoring order in the CBD.

On Wednesday, 15 July, heavy machinery moved into Marble Towers after the Johannesburg High Court authorised the demolition of illegally erected structures at the building.

Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officers and other law enforcement officials secured the area while traders hurried to remove stock from affected shops. Some occupants resisted the operation as officials cleared sections of the premises. The City said the action followed traders’ alleged failure to comply with directives to remove unlawful structures.

Executive Mayor Dada Morero and MMC for Public Safety Mgcini Zungu oversaw the operation, describing it as part of Johannesburg’s broader drive to reclaim the inner city, enforce municipal by-laws and tackle unsafe, non-compliant buildings.

‘We are currently at Marble Towers and remain steadfast in our stance. All illegal structures are undergoing demolition. We are not folding.’

Mayor Morero shared the update on X as demolition crews continued their work.

We are currently at Marble Towers and remain steadfast in our stance. All illegal structures are undergoing demolition. ✊WE ARE NOT FOLDING pic.twitter.com/QFeZVOVGYf

Executive Mayor: @CityofJoburgZA (@DadaMorero) July 15, 2026

According to the City, the Marble Towers operation forms part of a wider enforcement programme targeting illegal trading, unsafe buildings and by-law contraventions across the Johannesburg CBD. Officials said the campaign is intended to improve public safety, restore compliance and reclaim public spaces while supporting the City’s long-term inner-city regeneration strategy.

The demolition also coincides with broader multi-agency enforcement operations across the CBD involving the City, JMPD, SAPS and national authorities. Recent operations have focused on illegal trading, undocumented foreign nationals, crime hotspots and buildings that fail to meet municipal regulations, reflecting Johannesburg’s coordinated approach to restoring order in the inner city.

Why Marble Towers matters

The Marble Towers demolition brings together several of Johannesburg’s current priorities:

• Municipal governance: Enforcing by-laws and ensuring compliance with court orders.
• Crime and law enforcement: Coordinated operations involving JMPD, SAPS and other agencies to address criminal activity and unlawful trading.
• Inner-city regeneration: Reclaiming public spaces and improving safety in the CBD.
• Court action: The demolition follows a Johannesburg High Court ruling, reinforcing the City’s legal authority to act against non-compliant structures.

On Thursday, 16 July, the Johannesburg High Court granted an interim order temporarily halting further demolition work after an urgent application by the building’s owner, Goldenrod Group. The order pauses further demolition while the legal dispute continues, although the City’s broader CBD enforcement campaign remains ongoing.