Ward 102 blitz exposes illegal rental units
A high-impact service delivery blitz in Ward 102 uncovered illegal building work, overcrowded rental units and cut services, prompting the councillor to promise ongoing inspections
Group Forensic and Investigative Services, together with city officials in Ward 102, recently cracked down on several problem properties in the area.
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Stand-in Ward 102 councillor Bea Campbell-Cloete joined the inspection teams and described the living conditions they uncovered as ‘truly scary.’
The inspections targeted houses where owners had broken municipal rules by building without permission and cramming far too many people into unsafe spaces. At one property in Surrey Avenue, officials found a landlord who had taken over a former BnB and converted it into about 40 rental rooms. Despite the city already disconnecting water and electricity, the landlord continued to keep tenants there, fully aware of the dire conditions.
In Silver Pine Avenue, officials halted a building project because the owner had not applied for the required permissions. Workers on the site were also suspected of lacking proper legal documentation.
The most concerning case was in Ferndale, where a landlord had previously been warned about operating around 40 rental rooms on a single plot. The council had ordered him to clear the property, but during the follow-up inspection, he attempted to shift blame onto the tenants, claiming they refused to leave.
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Campbell-Cloete rejected this explanation outright. She stated firmly that the landlord was responsible for creating the problem, not the residents. She explained that these inspections highlight how some property owners are ignoring regulations and exploiting vulnerable people by cramming them into unsafe spaces for profit.
She assured residents that inspections will continue to enforce the law and sent a clear warning to other landlords breaking the rules: authorities are coming for them next. Finally, she urged community members to look out for one another by reporting illegal building work or overcrowded homes in their neighbourhoods.
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