The Problem Properties Forum welcomed the eThekwini Municipality Council’s acceptance on Tuesday of a motion to implement live online systems to track enforcement processes.
Councillor Heinz de Boer, DA Town Planning Committee member, said that the eThekwini Town Planning mayhem threatens economic stability. De Boer called for a complete revamp of its Town Planning enforcement as illegal developments mushroom across the City.
De Boer said this follows a meeting with concerned Glenwood residents in May 2026, which revealed that at least 1,400 problem properties have been reported to town planning and enforcement teams, with almost no progress made in prosecuting simple municipal planning transgressors over six years.
Town planning violations
“While Glenwood has seen a massive proliferation of unauthorised and non-compliant student accommodation, information obtained by the DA indicates there may be a large number of other non-compliant accommodation, business, and residential developments sprawled across eThekwini,” De Boer said.
He was also concerned that a DA email to the City Manager, Musa Mbhele, asking for a forensic investigation into the entire department has not been answered in more than a year.
“This lack of response is symptomatic of both the municipal administration and individuals in the department who stonewall councillors and residents alike. These town planning violations and spot zoning not only degrade neighbourhoods but also often fly under the radar,” De Boer said.
He said millions in potential commercial rates income are ignored, while once attractive investment nodes degrade due to petty crime, wild parties, overcrowded and unregulated accommodation facilities.
“The DA urges municipal officials to not only investigate the prosecutorial capacity of town planning enforcement but also implement live online systems to allow citizens to report alleged transgressions and track enforcement processes,” he said.
De Boer said that town planning plays a critical role in uplifting and growing the economy.
Land use complaints
Niki Moore, who manages the Problem Properties Non-Profit Organisation (NPO), said this is a breakthrough for them, because they have been asking Land Use Management for the last four years to introduce some sort of reference number or tracking system for land use complaints.
“The lack of such a tracking system has left residents with no way of knowing what is happening with their complaint; they are not able to follow up or check on progress, if any. Now, for the first time, we will be able to see exactly who is doing their job and who is not doing their job,” she said.
The motion, brought to Council by de Boer and Councillor Fran Kristopher, calls for the Land Use Management Unit of the Municipality to be investigated by the Economic Development and Planning Commission (EDPC) to establish the number of unresolved land use complaints; and for work on developing an online, integrated complaints platform that will digitally log and track violations.
Municipality takes action
The municipality said that it is aware of the concerns raised by the Problem Properties (NPO) and that most of the issues highlighted had already been identified and addressed through ongoing inspections and interventions by the Building Inspectorate Branch.
Concerning illegal building practices, the municipality stated that it continues to take enforcement action where unauthorised building work is identified. This includes the issuing of contravention notices, initiating rate code changes, and, where necessary, recommending that certain matters be taken to the High Court.
The municipality noted the input and concerns raised by the Problem Properties NPO, which are currently under consideration as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen compliance and improve the City’s property rate base.
“Municipal research indicates that illegal building activity is often driven by the refusal of planning applications due to non-compliance with zoning or planning controls, as well as misinformation that building plan approvals take excessively long,” the municipality stated.
zainul.dawood@iol.co.za
IOL
