South African municipalities tighten action against property owners

By Malcolm Libera

South African homeowners are being warned that municipalities are increasingly focusing on how residential properties are used, and that any violations are being heavily penalised.

According to VDM Incorporated director Cor van Deventer, a growing number of municipalities are ramping up inspections and issuing penalty rates for zoning contraventions as they look for new ways to stabilise their finances.

“Municipalities are under enormous fiscal pressure, and we’re seeing a clear trend: they are turning to penalty rates as a way to stabilise their revenue,” said Van Deventer.

“The enforcement activity we’re seeing now is far more aggressive than in previous years, and many homeowners are unaware that their everyday property use could trigger these penalties.”

He added that municipalities in Gauteng, the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and several other provinces have begun actively auditing properties.

These municipalities are issuing compliance notices and levying penalty tariffs where homes are