Policies are in place to deal with illegal communes, City says

Illegal communes in Westdene, Sophiatown and surrounding areas have started to cause a greater headache for residents, law enforcement and the City of Johannesburg in recent years.

The City’s development planning department responded to questions about this issue from the Northcliff Melville Times.

What is the City’s policy regarding illegal communes?

Illegal communes are reported to the Planning Law Enforcement sub-directorate for investigation and the relevant and appropriate law enforcement processes are followed.

What is being done about illegal communes in areas like Westdene and Sophiatown?

Notices are issued for landowners to comply with their zoning, and if there is no attempt for compliance, further legal action is taken.

What is the appropriate way to apply for communes?

If the site is zoned Residential 1, a consent application in terms of the Planning Municipal By-law 2016 can be submitted to Land Use Management of Development Planning for consideration.

What has been found to be the reason for illegal communes? Why do owners not rezone the properties?

It is unclear what the reasons are, various workshops have been held in these areas since the inception of the commune policy so landowners are aware of the processes.

A consent application process is an affordable process, that can be concluded in a relatively short time frame.

A rezoning is only required for high-density residential developments in the identified corridors areas.

The City of Johannesburg is well aware of illegal communes in Westdene, Brixton, Sophiatown and surrounds and it is focusing on owners who have converted residences to communes and failed to adjust their property rates accordingly.

During the course of the rates policy review meetings in February last year, illegal communes was once again a topic of discussion. The City then said that often property owners avoid registering or legalising their communes to avoid paying higher property rates.

Most of the communes are found near institutions of higher learning like the University of the Witwatersrand and the University of Johannesburg.

The City’s commune policy of 2009 admits that not only have unauthorised commune establishments continued to mushroom without any formal regulation, but some of the authorised commune establishments have also contravened conditions of approval that were imposed by council.

It says residents are not only concerned about the communes, they are also concerned about slum lording and the general decay of the residential area as a result.

“The slumlords often take advantage of less fortunate students and low-paid workers and have them overcrowded in inhumane conditions for profit. These owners live elsewhere, causing decay in environments they themselves do not have to live in,” the department said.

Residents who wish to report suspected illegal communes can contact planning control law enforcement. Theo Tempele can be reached on theot@joburg.org.za or can be called on 011 407 6042.

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