City enforcement officials descended on residential properties in wards 102 and 104 this week, conducting a joint site and compliance inspection across Guillaume Avenue in Bordeaux North, and West Avenue and Vine Avenue in Ferndale.

The operation brought together officials from the city’s Revenue and Urban Management unit (Crum), Environmental Health (EH), the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), Building Control (BC), Town Planning (TP), Emergency Medical Services (EMS), the Gauteng Fire and Integrated Services (GFIS), representatives from the mayor’s office, and City Power.

Read more: City Power cuts illegal connection during Ferndale audit

Ward 102 councillor Bea Campbell-Cloete, who was present on the day, thanked officials for turning out despite the cold weather. She did, however, raise a concern that has been troubling her: it appears that people operating illegally in the area have caught on to the inspection schedule.

“I did get some intel from people in the area telling me that people know we’re coming on a Thursday, so they don’t come out on a Thursday,” she said. “I’m honestly worried. What I’m suggesting is maybe we should go back to switching up the days so they don’t know we’re in the area.”

Campbell-Cloete acknowledged that despite the intelligence suggesting some offenders were deliberately avoiding the Thursday inspections, the teams on the ground were still doing valuable work. “You guys are still on the ground doing the job, and I do appreciate it, and the residents appreciate it,” she said.

Among the properties visited, one in Guillaume Avenue in Bordeaux drew attention as a site being run as an illegal accommodation establishment.

Environmental Health issued a fine on the day, while Town Planning issued a formal warning.

City Power found the property had been fitted with a meter bridge and carried out a level 3 disconnection. JMPD and Home Affairs Immigration arrested one foreign national found on the premises without documentation. GFIS confirmed the property had not been hijacked.

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The inspection team also returned to a second property on Guillaume Avenue, which was on the books as a follow-up problem property.

Environmental Health issued a fine for public health nuisance, with a court date set for 11 June. Town Planning served a land use notice and is awaiting the expiry date of June 20 2026, before taking further action. City Power found no illegal connections at this address.

JMPD and Home Affairs Immigration made four arrests of foreign nationals found without valid documentation.

Environmental Health operational manager for Ward 102, Morne Swart, spoke to the broader concern at the Guillaume Avenue properties, explaining that officials had previously issued fines for illegal trading involving the use of bleach and other hazardous chemicals on residential premises.

“They [traders] said they were going to stop trading, and they are still in the process,” Swart said, adding that the presence of individuals in the country unlawfully had complicated matters further. “We will pursue this matter further,” he said.

On West Avenue in Ferndale, two properties were flagged, City Power found illegal electricity connections with no meter on the premises.

GFIS recorded non-compliance, and the matter was referred to GFIS by Town Planning with a notice. JMPD and Home Affairs Immigration made two further arrests of foreign nationals without documentation.

Environmental Health did not issue a notice or fine at this address. At another property on West Avenue, inspectors were denied access, though City Power confirmed that the electricity supply had already been cut off at level 3.

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