City to demolish buildings after reclaiming land for mixed-use development
The city has issued a stern warning to those breaking the law after building materials were stolen from a newly recovered public site earmarked for urban renewal.
According to the metro, a large property measuring about 15ha has been reclaimed, following a recent site visit to the Pretoria West area, and is now earmarked for mixed-use development.
The July 29 visit to the property on the corner of Sophie de Bruyn and Bloed Streets, was conducted by Mayor Nasiphi Moya and Kholofelo Morodi, MMC for Corporate and Shared Services and Chairperson of the Bad Buildings Mayoral Sub-Committee.
Morodi believes this will pave the way for mixed-use development to serve the economic transformation of the city’s urban core, but also voiced concern about ongoing vandalism and theft at the site.
“The city is gravely concerned by recent incidents of illegal trespassing and theft of building materials from the site.
“Let it be unequivocally stated: Those who violate the law by unlawfully accessing this property or stealing its materials will face arrest, and their vehicles will be impounded.
“This is public land, reclaimed for public benefit, not for looting or lawlessness,” Morodi said, adding that anyone committing crimes on municipal land will face the harshest consequences of the law.
Cllr Kholofelo Morodi and Dr Nasiphi Moya. Photo: X: @nasiphim
Moya also made comments aimed at people stealing supplies, referring to a social media video claiming to show theft from the site.
“There was a video on Friday that was showing people who came to scavenge on the property and took some of the material away.
“We have since deployed [the]TMPD, because there are people who are trespassing on this property. We are here to make sure the scavenging stops and we will protect this property so, we can start the demolition.
“There will be demolition happening, and we will continue to deploy the TMPD to protect the property, so people don’t just walk in and take what they want,” she said.
She said after the demolition of the buildings on the site, the space will go on the market.
Moya also said they impounded a truck parked near the property for trespassing, adding that they had found materials from the site loaded on the truck, and says she believes that an aggressive approach to lawlessness is needed for progress to occur.
Moya and Morodi called on residents, community leaders, stakeholders, and investors to help play a role in safeguarding public land by reporting acts of criminality when they occur.
Watch here:
This afternoon, we inspected the Pta West precinct, where we reclaimed 15ha of Council property. Security measures have been reinforced while plans are being finalised for demolition. This parcel of land will be put on the market for mixed-use development.@CityTshwane pic.twitter.com/CyAMfCJipP
— Dr Nasiphi Moya (@nasiphim) July 28, 2025
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