The City of Johannesburg has intensified its campaign against illegal activity in the inner city, with the demolition of illegal structures continuing across some of the busiest areas of the Johannesburg CBD.
Since Monday, city officials have demolished more than a dozen illegally constructed structures along Small Street, an area long associated with overcrowding, informal trading disputes, and criminal activity. The operation forms part of a broader initiative by the municipality to reclaim public spaces and restore order in the city centre.
Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero said the demolition of illegal structures will remain a key priority for the city as authorities move to tackle lawlessness, overcrowding, and criminal networks operating within the CBD.
Speaking during the operation, Morero defended the city against criticism that it had acted too slowly in addressing illegal structures and unlawful occupation in parts of the inner city.
According to the mayor, the city had to ensure that operations were properly planned to avoid violent confrontations, legal complications, and safety risks for officials involved in the demolitions.
Demolition of Illegal Structures Part of Wider Inner City Strategy
Morero said the city’s intervention is not limited to Small Street and that more areas have been identified for future operations.
He revealed that authorities are preparing for further enforcement action in high-risk buildings and locations, including the notorious Marble Towers in the Johannesburg CBD.
“You need to prepare, for example, as we will be going to Marble Towers. We need to prepare thoroughly because the last time, probably three years ago or so, when JMPD was here, they responded in gunfire,” Morero explained.
The mayor said previous enforcement operations encountered resistance from heavily armed criminal elements, making it necessary for the city and law enforcement agencies to carefully coordinate their approach before conducting demolitions or raids.
“It was even difficult for JMPD to deal with illegality, so you need to prepare internal teams properly,” he added.
The Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD), alongside other law enforcement agencies, has been heavily involved in supporting the current operation aimed at dismantling illegal structures and restoring safer public spaces.
City officials believe the demolition of illegal structures is directly connected to efforts to reduce crime and improve safety within the inner city.
Acting regional director Patrick Baloyi warned that severe overcrowding in parts of the CBD has created conditions that allow criminal activity to thrive.
According to Baloyi, densely packed illegal trading spaces and informal structures have become hotspots for pickpocketing, armed robberies, and violent territorial disputes.
“It breeds other criminal activities like pickpocketing and people being robbed at gunpoint, without people realising that you are being robbed,” Baloyi said.
He further revealed that violent turf wars over trading space and territory have led to deadly confrontations in the area.
“In fact, people kill each other openly. For instance, there was that territorial fight, which left three corpses because they were fighting for territory, for space,” he explained.
Authorities argue that reclaiming sidewalks, public walkways, and illegally occupied spaces is essential to restoring order and ensuring safer movement for residents, workers, and visitors in the CBD.
The city’s operations have sparked mixed reactions among residents, traders, and advocacy groups.
While many Johannesburg residents have welcomed the demolition of illegal structures as a necessary step toward improving safety and cleanliness in the CBD, others have raised concerns about the impact on informal traders and vulnerable individuals who rely on these spaces to survive economically.
Critics argue that enforcement operations should be accompanied by sustainable economic alternatives and support programmes for affected traders. Some community organisations have also questioned whether enough consultation took place before demolitions were carried out.
However, city officials insist the operation targets structures built unlawfully and areas linked to criminal activity rather than legitimate informal businesses operating within legal frameworks.
Morero maintained that the city is committed to balancing economic activity with law enforcement and urban management.
The City of Johannesburg has made it clear that the demolition campaign will continue in the coming weeks as authorities target additional areas identified as illegal occupation hotspots.
Officials say the broader objective is to revive the inner city, improve safety, and restore Johannesburg’s economic potential by creating cleaner and more secure public spaces.
Urban decay, overcrowding, hijacked buildings, and criminal syndicates have remained major challenges in Johannesburg’s CBD for years, prompting repeated calls for stronger intervention from government and law enforcement agencies.
The city’s latest operation signals a renewed effort to confront these long-standing issues directly.
As demolition teams continue their work, authorities have urged residents and business owners to cooperate with officials while reporting illegal activities that contribute to disorder and criminality in the inner city.
For many Johannesburg residents, the demolition of illegal structures represents more than just an urban cleanup operation — it reflects a broader battle over safety, governance, and the future of South Africa’s economic hub.
