City of Johannesburg Environment and Infrastructure MMC, Jack Sekwaila says Metro Police officers and private security will remain on high alert to prevent looting at Marble Towers buildings in the inner-city.
Earlier, city officials led by Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero embarked on a raid to demolish structures erected inside the foyer and on the pavement outside the building.
This follows a failed attempt by the building owners to interdict the demolitions.
Skwaila says business owners will be allowed to remove their stock.
“We cannot remove everything today. They must come later and remove their stock. There are way too many shops, and we have spoken to JMPD and private security about the process they are going to use to enter because people are here, they might be waiting for an opportunity to come and loot, and we do not want that.”
#JoburgUpdates | Marble Towers Demolition Underway
The City of Johannesburg has commenced the demolition of illegal structures at Marble Towers in the Johannesburg CBD, in line with a Johannesburg High Court order and as previously committed by Executive Mayor Cllr Dada Morero… pic.twitter.com/LYDgLDXwtL
— City of Joburg (@CityofJoburgZA) July 15, 2026
Shop owners watch on as the illegal structures are being demolished #HighImpactServiceDelivery #JoburgByLaws ^MM pic.twitter.com/JgiQ4C915l
— City of Joburg (@CityofJoburgZA) July 15, 2026
Morero says the building of structures within the building is against the law.
“Any form of illegal structures will be removed. Any landlords who do not comply, they should know that we are coming. We are dealing with this precinct. Once we are done with the Marble Tower precinct, we will be moving to the next precinct. Some of them are just opposites. We’ll be dealing with those, including illegal advertising that we will continue to remove.”
We are currently at Marble Towers and remain steadfast in our stance. All illegal structures are undergoing demolition.
WE ARE NOT FOLDING pic.twitter.com/QFeZVOVGYf
— Executive Mayor: @CityofJoburgZA (@DadaMorero) July 15, 2026
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