Ekurhuleni’s inaction on illegal land use sparks concern in Palm Ridge
With by-laws ignored and infrastructure buckling, Palm Ridge residents are left waiting as illegal land use spreads unchecked.
Illegal land use and rampant building violations are escalating in Palm Ridge’s Ward 103, a crisis local Clr Samantha Nair says stems from the CoE’s failure to enforce planning regulations.
A recent oversight visit by the City Planning Oversight Committee revealed that many residential properties have been unlawfully converted into informal businesses, particularly along Hortensia and Palm Ridge roads and Celtis and Teebos streets.
The committee found that several properties operate without permits or municipal approvals, directly violating city planning bylaws.
Illegal structures continue to emerge, further straining infrastructure and worsening service delivery backlogs.
Nair is frustrated over the city’s inaction, attributing the lack of enforcement to dysfunction and inefficiency under the current coalition government.
“The lack of enforcement is allowing these unlawful developments to spread with no consequences,” she said.
A growing concern is the widespread illegal tapping into municipal services. Nair said unauthorised electricity and water connections are burdening Ekurhuleni’s already stretched infrastructure and costing the city millions in lost revenue.
She also pointed to a severe shortage of building inspectors and land use officers.
“The city’s failure to allocate resources for enforcement has left communities vulnerable to unregulated development,” she said.
Nair has called on MMC for Developmental Planning and Real Estate Nomadlozi Nkosi to provide answers at the next council meeting regarding:
• the number of building inspectors currently based at the Alberton office;
• when inspections and contravention notices will be issued in affected areas;
• whether any of the informal businesses have been rezoned or still fall under residential classification.
Nair warned that without urgent intervention, the unchecked expansion of illegal development will continue to erode living conditions.
“The people of Palm Ridge are left to bear the brunt of this neglect. The city must act now to restore order and accountability,” she said.
She confirmed the committee would continue to monitor the situation and apply pressure on the city to uphold its legal and planning obligations.
The Alberton Record has contacted the CoE for comment.
