Diepsloot’s backyard rentals become a battleground

Ongoing protests in Diepsloot over undocumented immigrants are putting landlords under growing pressure, with some losing rental income and others asking tenants without legal documentation to leave.

The protests in the northern Johannesburg township have intensified calls for landlords to ensure that tenants renting backyard rooms and shacks have valid identification and immigration documents, reports the Fourways Review.

For landlords, however, the situation has created a difficult balancing act between protecting their income and responding to community pressure.

One landlord, Bulelwa Mene, said the protests had affected her financially but that she felt she had little choice but to ask some tenants to leave.

“It affected me because I had to chase away those who were renting my shack since they were foreign nationals, but it was for my own good. Now, I ask prospective tenants for identification before renting to them, because the community is against landlords accommodating undocumented immigrants,” she said.

Mene said she had asked tenants without documents to leave because she feared facing penalties for renting to undocumented foreign nationals.

Tenants asked to leave

Another landlord, Simphiwe Ngwenya, said the protests had also resulted in lost rental income after some tenants moved out.

“We have asked the undocumented foreign nationals to leave our yard. We heard that we are not the officials to inspect their papers, so we asked them to be honest. So far, one has moved out while others say they have papers,” she said.

Ngwenya said landlords were caught in a difficult position because they had no legal authority to determine whether documents presented by tenants were genuine.

“As landlords and South African citizens, we understand the concerns around illegal immigration. If our borders and government had prevented this, we would never have found ourselves in this position,” she said.

Despite the financial impact, Ngwenya encouraged residents to remain united.

Impact on documented residents

Resident and landlord Victoria Kubelo said she understood why some community members were holding landlords responsible.

“I think they are right, because some of these people are dangerous and when they commit crimes they cannot be traced. I hope the campaign will continue until the community’s concerns are addressed,” she said.

The uncertainty has also affected documented foreign nationals living in Diepsloot.

Palesa Mofokeng, a Lesotho national, said she feared losing her accommodation as the protests intensified.

“I am lucky that I have a passport and a valid work permit. Otherwise I would have lost my place because my landlord is asking people without papers to leave,” she said.

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