Residents have raised concerns about gates allegedly restricting access to roads in Riverside, with questions emerging over whether the installations followed the City of Johannesburg’s required approval processes.

Residents have expressed concern that these allegedly illegal gates or street closures can lower nearby property values by restricting access, causing traffic blockages or violating municipal zoning by-laws.

“They can also cause conflict among neighbours and raise concerns about whether emergency vehicles and delivery services can access the area,” Koketso Maimela, a resident of the area, said. “These issues could make the neighbourhood less attractive to potential buyers.” The residents want the city to clarify whether the gates were installed lawfully and what action will be taken if the necessary approvals were not obtained.

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Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) said its traffic engineering department had not received complaints about the matter, although it acknowledged that concerns may have been reported to other city departments. The agency also said the city’s transport department had no record of receiving a security access restriction application for the affected roads.

According to the JRA, the department responsible for investigating alleged zoning violations is the city’s transport department. JRA said it would refer the matter once the necessary on-site evidence had been collected.

In its response, the agency indicated that information and photographs relating to the investigation had been forwarded to the transport department, which advised that an infringement notice would be prepared for service by the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD). However, further clarity is needed on whether the notice has been issued or served, whether the gates will be removed, and what action will follow if the installations are found to be unauthorised.

Ward 96 councillor Rufus Maswazi said he had not received a complaint identifying the specific gates and could, therefore, not comment on whether the installations had been authorised. Maswazi said some communities had followed the required procedures to install security gates after engaging with the JRA. He explained that residents often approached him with safety concerns, particularly relating to crime, and he advised them to contact the relevant municipal department.

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He said residents seeking to restrict access to an area should establish the requirements, consult affected neighbours and submit the necessary documentation, including community support where required. He stressed that the circumstances surrounding security gates differ, with some communities having followed the correct process while the status of other installations remained unclear to him.

He also noted that approval for security access restrictions was not necessarily permanent and that residents needed to be aware of the applicable conditions and expiry dates.

The councillor encouraged residents with concerns about the gates to raise them with JRA so that the agency could clarify whether the installations were authorised and explain the appropriate process.

JRA said it would provide further feedback once its investigation had been completed.

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