Randburg’s central business district is being placed firmly under the spotlight.
Citizen relationship and urban management (Crum) Region B director Sello Lemao confirmed that Deputy Mayor of Johannesburg Loyiso Masuku issued a directive for authorities to intensify efforts to clean up and manage the area, particularly around the square. Lemao said Randburg remained a key economic hub for the region, and that this was why the focus was being sharpened rather than starting from scratch. He said the plan, going forward, was to concentrate more heavily on cleaning the area, working alongside Pikitup, despite the challenges the waste utility continued to face, while also turning close attention to the square itself.

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According to Lemao, littering has become a persistent problem in the square, alongside a range of illegal activity, including unlawful parking. He said that once the square was properly managed, both cleanliness and traffic could be brought under control. Cars found parked illegally in the square were issued with tickets by Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD), which Lemao described as an initial warning before harsher measures follow. “This is almost like a warning. The next phase will be to impound the cars, all of them that you see that are parked illegally, so that people can begin to understand that we mean business.”

Authorities also moved to clear illegal traders from the square, with Lemao confirming that none of those found operating there had valid payments in place. He said, even in the small number of cases where payments had previously been made, the stalls were not being run by those who had paid. “They are actually subletting to illegal foreigners. So, when we come, they run. It shows very well that they are illegal.”

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Lemao said the square was never intended to be used as a parking area, and that public engagement would form the next phase of the operation, so residents and traders understood its actual purpose. “This square is not actually for parking. It’s not a park. This is our beautification for city parks. People must just understand that when they come there, they go to the shops, and from the shops they go to where they come from. Littering is not allowed at all.”

Lemao acknowledged that people had started to notice a pattern in enforcement, with operations largely taking place on Thursdays, and that some were returning to old habits once the day had passed. He said this meant authorities needed to vary the days on which operations were carried out, while ensuring police maintained a consistent presence in the area. “We need to make sure that, at times, we can change days, but we make sure that the police are here every day, maintaining what we have actually started.”

He added that JMPD was also working to boost capacity by drawing on additional support from private security patrols, to assist police in areas where resources were stretched. Lemao said the broader goal was to get the central business disctrict right as a foundation before extending similar efforts more widely.

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