Pretoria West to become manufacturing hub
The land recoveries are leading up to an investment summit in September, at which potential investors will be offered opportunities.
Pretoria West has been a focal point of the metro in recent weeks, following several operations targeting hijacked buildings and non-compliant businesses.
The metro says it aims to transform the ‘sleeping giant’ into a manufacturing mecca.
Efforts from last month continued this month, as the metro conducted the eviction of illegal occupants at a Pretoria West building following eviction notices being served the week prior.
Mayor, Dr Nasiphi Moya, said the city is owed over R26-million from leasing 12 properties with 35 stands.
Joined by supporting officials from her Mayoral Committee and the TMPD, the stakeholders faced resistance from the occupants, though ultimately they were able to evict them.
The businesses operating illegally were given a notice that expired on July 12, and on July 15, officials were back to ensure all occupants vacated these properties.
“We closed this shop, only to find out these people have been operating in the background. So, we have taken their cars, we are towing them, and they can go collect them from the pound. We are clearing this warehouse here,” the mayor said.
“This Nigerian guy has been sending us from pillar to post, and we just want to clean. These people are so disrespectful. We’ve been giving them notice after notice, and even today, they were hoping we wouldn’t be able to see that they were still operating on this property. This is the level of lawlessness that we must clean up so you can have your city back,” Moya said.
The mayor said officials received resistance from a group of Nigerian men operating a scrap yard without valid leases with the city.
After refusing to move, TMPD impounded all their vehicles. Moya said they were hoping officials wouldn’t be back to reclaim the city property.
The warehouse was cleared of over 10 illegally erected shacks on top of the business operation without permits.
Moya said the effort is part of a broader plan to turn Pretoria West into a manufacturing hub for the city.
“We are reclaiming this city for you,” Moya said.
MMC for Community Safety Hannes Coetzee said these types of operations can be expected in all seven regions.
“People ask what’s happening. By-law enforcement at a high level. We’re taking our city back. We cannot afford any longer for this lawlessness to continue. We need to restore this city. Ensure the safety of our residents in all seven regions and restore Tshwane as a city of excellence,” Coetzee said.
Last month, the metro closed down an early childhood development centre in Ward 60, Danville, after discovering that it was operating on hijacked land.
MMC for Corporate and Shared Services and chairperson of the Mayoral Bad Buildings Sub-Committee, Kholofelo Morodi, said that the sub-committee is mandated to systematically reclaim and reintegrate hijacked, misused and unsafe assets into formal urban development frameworks.
The operation was carried out through co-ordination across key departments, including Group Property Management, Group Legal, the city manager’s office and the TMPD, among others.
“The city-owned precinct had been unlawfully occupied by individuals without valid lease agreements or documentation. In addition to structural neglect and non-payment for services, authorities uncovered a network of illegal electricity connections, posing severe fire hazards and threatening to overload the grid, with implications for citywide energy stability and public safety,” Morodi said.
The urban renewal strategy is aiming to activate neglected urban spaces, safeguard municipal assets and prepare site-ready zones for catalytic development.
“The Pretoria West precinct is one of many strategic properties the city will be securing and restoring to operational dignity. These buildings are not just abandoned; they are being repositioned to fuel inclusive growth, job creation, and spatial justice ahead of the Tshwane Investment Summit in September. The city will continue to intensify multi-sectoral operations across all seven regions, reclaiming infrastructure that has been hijacked, repurposed or left to deteriorate and repurposing it,” Morodi said.
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