The situation in Emmarentia Ext. 1 highlights how the relocation of informal settlements from one area can displace the problem to a nearby community rather than solving the root issue of homelessness, poverty, and inadequate housing.

The property at 36 John MacKenzie Drive had become a focal point for concern, not only because of its long history of complaints, but because it reflected the wider ripple effects of recent removals of informal dwellers from the Bowling Green property in Victory Park.

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Citizens Relationship and Urban Management (Crum), along with JMPD, SAPS, and Social Development, finally heard the words of the community during their High Impact Service Delivery operation on November 27. Urban inspectors visited the site and discovered that it had been in that state for 12 months.

Neighbours reported that the site was being used as an informal sorting and storage point for recyclable waste, with people living on the property and sleeping in the open space opposite it. The house reportedly had no running water or electricity, forcing people to rely on the nearby spruit for basic sanitation.

What worried residents and ERA most was not only the human impact but the environmental degradation unfolding around them. Rubbish was scattered along the spruit and pavements, and across open ground. Piles of waste had built up against boundary walls, creating what residents described as both a health hazard and an ongoing safety risk.

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The publication reported on September 19, quoting CoJ spokesperson Nthatisi Modingoane, who said that for some people to survive, they often resort to becoming recyclers. “This desperate hustle comes with grim consequences: accumulated recyclables attract rodents, fires lit to stay warm cause pollution and public spaces become overwhelmed by grime and refuse.”

@caxtonjoburgnorth WATCH: City Parks rangers and city officials work hand-in-hand during a High Impact Service Delivery operation on November 27, 2025, at 36 John Mackenzie Drive. Video: Waydon Jacobs #Cityparks #Northcliff ♬ original sound – Caxton Joburg North

While social development units offered alternative accommodation for these informal dwellers, the voluntary nature of the acceptance means that some individuals may refuse for various reasons (e.g., location constraints, facility rules, or wanting to stay near current income sources).

Crum acting director Auriel Kobola highlighted that the social development unit, responsible for displaced people, visited the site to assess the situation. The unit was tasked with interviewing, scanning, and screening the occupants. ”Officials said alternative accommodation would be offered at a facility in Windsor East, although acceptance would be voluntary.”

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