Cape Town tackles problem buildings as cases rise

The City of Cape Town’s problem building unit is currently handling 291 active cases, with legal actions underway against 55 property owners.

This specialised law enforcement team, consisting of 13 members, successfully resolved 425 cases in the past financial year (July 2023 to June 2024), a significant increase from the 207 cases closed the previous year.

“The phenomena of problem buildings are on the rise across the country, and indeed the world, as owners face hardships or simply abandon their properties due to the dysfunctional provisions in the PIE Act that make it impossible for private or public land owners to effectively protect their property,” said safety and security MMC JP Smith.

“However, this creates a problem for the city as these properties become a home for squatters and criminals and are generally left to decay, abysmally impacting the residents around it. These buildings can become dangerous as they are used as dump sites and are health and fire hazards. Then there is the environmental impact and the associated costs to contend with.”

On Sunday, the city announced that 27 new problem buildings had been identified, adding to the 291 active cases currently under investigation. Legal proceedings have been initiated against 55 property owners.

Smith explained that the unit enforces the Problem Property Bylaw 2020, typically issuing a compliance notice to the building owner. If the owner fails to respond, the property is designated as a problem building.

Further measures include imposing a tariff on the owner’s municipal account or taking legal action to ensure compliance.

“I encourage residents to report potential problem buildings to Law Enforcement, the sooner it gets reported, the sooner our staff can act to limit the impact on the neighbourhood,” said Smith.