By-law operation hits the streets of Marabastad
Illegal businesses were shut down, undocumented immigrants arrested, and hijacked city property reclaimed in a bid to restore order and bring lasting change to the troubled area.
The metro, acting with the TMPD, recently closed down several businesses, arrested undocumented immigrants and issued notices during a by-law operation in Marabastad.
The joint by-law operation on July 25 was aimed at ensuring business compliance in Marabastad by focusing on combating illegal trading and reclaiming the city’s assets.
Several businesses were found to be noncompliant and were shut down, illegal electricity connections were disconnected, and other businesses were issued with minor offence notices.
Tshwane Mayor, Nasiphi Moya, said throughout the operation that hijacked buildings filled with undocumented immigrants or living in illegally erected shacks were all too common.
“We have a long-term plan in terms of how we are going to reclaim Marabastad.
“We’ve been in different precincts here in Marabastad, but we realise that before we bring the changes and services, we need to clean it up and root out corruption and the criminality that is happening here.
Moya said one of the buildings they inspected is owned by a private individual. “This person, inside the property, has built shacks, and they are renting rooms to illegal immigrants.“We’ve found six people in a space of 20 minutes without documentation. These people are knowingly renting out to illegal immigrants.”
She said it was a huge task and that it can’t be sorted in one day, but that they won’t give up and continue their operations.
Moya said that she even encountered an immigrant who they’ve arrested on two previous occasions in the past three weeks, one time at the same hijacked building they first found him at in Pretoria West.
They also visited the Marabastad Mini Market and Belle Ombre Train Station to check the compliance of a lot of small traders who use these places to sell all types of goods.
Moya said the Marabastad Retail Market is a property of the metro that has been hijacked, and during the operation, they reclaimed it.
The mayor said the building was leased to an individual who then decided to sublease it to other people, breaching the terms of the contract with the city.
The metro plans to use this property to put back value into the market and make it available to credible investors who want to use it.
“No one operating at the market has a licence to trade there.
She told people who want to trade fruit and veggies to go to their offices in Tshwane House or Middestad, to check if they qualify.
“We are going to revoke our licences and the lease agreement with the person we have a lease with, because they contravened the terms,” Moya said.
How to Apply for Land or Property from the metro:
STEP 1: Application Submission and Review
Submit your application through any Tshwane Customer Care Office or via email at propertyapplication@tshwane.gov.za.
– All internal departments assess whether the land is needed for municipal services.
– A report is drafted and tabled before Council.
– A public notice is issued for community input.
STEP 2: Public Tender Process (for private buyers/businesses)
– If you’re not a government entity, your application enters a fair and open bidding process.
– Advertisements are published in newspapers.
– The winning bid is selected based on clear criteria – not special preference.
STEP 3: Finalisation
– Legal agreements are drafted.
– Payments and transfers are processed through registered attorneys.
Residents are reminded that the entire process takes an average of 13 months.
This is the Marabastad Retail Market, a property of the City that has been hijacked. Today, we reclaimed it. This building was leased to an individual who then decided to sublease it to other people – breaching the terms of the contract with the City. Residents of Tshwane this… pic.twitter.com/OxZN6fZ0P0
— Dr Nasiphi Moya (@nasiphim) July 25, 2025
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