In response to growing concerns from residents, Chairperson of the Public Safety Committee, Clir Sarah Wissler, and Chairperson of the Finance Committee, Clir Mpumi Edward held a public meeting and a by-law oversight in Kensington on to tackle ongoing issues of crime, drug dealings and illegal business operations.
The meeting, attended by frustrated and concerned community members, was followed by a walkabout involving both Councillors, accompanied by teams from City Power and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD). The purpose was clear: assess conditions on the ground and initiate immediate enforcement actions where necessary.
City Power conducted a street-level compliance operation and discovered several bypassed meters – another alarming indicator of illegal electricity connections robbing the City of Johannesburg of much-needed revenue. In nearby Observatory, inspections revealed that nearly the entire street is illegally connected to water and electricity. reflecting a broader trend of systemic service theft.
During the inspections, JMPD visited two spaza shops and an illegal tavem. The tavern, previously issued with a non-compliance certificate in December and shut down, had reopened without a liquor license, a health certificate, or functioning sanitation facilities.
Doors were missing from toilet stalls, and the premises were found to be in a filthy and unsafe condition. It was shut down again.
Similarly, the spaza shops visited by Clirs Wissler and Edward were found selling expired food items, while some products had no expiry dates displayed at all – posing serious health risks to unsuspecting consumers. With the deaths of over 20 schoolchildren having succumbed to food-borne poisoning, we will be back with health inspectors to enforce the law.
We noted that these issues are part of a wider urban decay creeping into suburbs that were once stable and safe. They stressed that by-law enforcement must be urgently intensified.
Without consistent enforcement from departments like Environmental Health, Home Affairs, and City Power, illegal businesses and criminal elements will continue to thrive.
It is becoming clear that the suburbs are gradually succumbing to the same rot we see in the Johannesburg CBD. Illegal activity is taking root, law enforcement is overstretched, and the City is bleeding both money and frust from its residents.
The visit reinforced the urgent need for ongoing, joint operations between Public Safety and Finance, supported by other key departments. These interventions will be critical to restore law and order, recover stolen resources, and improve the quality of life in affected communities.
We have committed to returning to Kensington and surrounding areas with follow-up operations and ongoing community engagements.
Joint Operations by Section 79 Chairpersons in Kensington Expose Widespread Crime, Illegal Businesses and Service Theft
In response to growing concerns from residents, Chairperson of the Public Safety Committee, Clir Sarah Wissler, and Chairperson of the Finance Committee, Clir Mpumi Edward held a public meeting and a by-law oversight in Kensington on to tackle ongoing issues of crime, drug dealings and illegal business operations.
The meeting, attended by frustrated and concerned community members, was followed by a walkabout involving both Councillors, accompanied by teams from City Power and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD). The purpose was clear: assess conditions on the ground and initiate immediate enforcement actions where necessary.
City Power conducted a street-level compliance operation and discovered several bypassed meters – another alarming indicator of illegal electricity connections robbing the City of Johannesburg of much-needed revenue. In nearby Observatory, inspections revealed that nearly the entire street is illegally connected to water and electricity. reflecting a broader trend of systemic service theft.
During the inspections, JMPD visited two spaza shops and an illegal tavem. The tavern, previously issued with a non-compliance certificate in December and shut down, had reopened without a liquor license, a health certificate, or functioning sanitation facilities.
Doors were missing from toilet stalls, and the premises were found to be in a filthy and unsafe condition. It was shut down again.
Similarly, the spaza shops visited by Clirs Wissler and Edward were found selling expired food items, while some products had no expiry dates displayed at all – posing serious health risks to unsuspecting consumers. With the deaths of over 20 schoolchildren having succumbed to food-borne poisoning, we will be back with health inspectors to enforce the law.
We noted that these issues are part of a wider urban decay creeping into suburbs that were once stable and safe. They stressed that by-law enforcement must be urgently intensified.
Without consistent enforcement from departments like Environmental Health, Home Affairs, and City Power, illegal businesses and criminal elements will continue to thrive.
It is becoming clear that the suburbs are gradually succumbing to the same rot we see in the Johannesburg CBD. Illegal activity is taking root, law enforcement is overstretched, and the City is bleeding both money and frust from its residents.
The visit reinforced the urgent need for ongoing, joint operations between Public Safety and Finance, supported by other key departments. These interventions will be critical to restore law and order, recover stolen resources, and improve the quality of life in affected communities.
We have committed to returning to Kensington and surrounding areas with follow-up operations and ongoing community engagements.