A rent collector is under arrest while law enforcement officials investigate the slumlord who let out sections of rooms in a house in the affluent area of Houghton, Johannesburg.
An estimated 90 people were found on the property, “living in deplorable conditions, dividing the space with curtains to create makeshift rooms”, public safety MMC Mgcini Tshwaku said.
The raid was carried out by the city's public safety department and metro police on Wednesday night.
Many of the occupants were found to be foreigners.
“They were found to be paying rent to another undocumented foreigner, who reports to a third-party figure, a white male,” according to the MMC.
“The rent collector for the illegal occupants was found hiding in overgrown grass behind the house.
“This discovery adds another layer to the operation, highlighting the organised nature of the illegal settlement and the attempt to conceal evidence,” Tshwaku said.
“The rent collector, now in custody, will face further investigation regarding his role in the operation and potential connections to the orchestrators.”
It was not immediately clear whether the property had been abandoned and then hijacked or if the owner was complicit in the illegal overcrowding-for-cash scheme.
“The premises have been marked for closure, with the remaining residents being processed and deported or held for legal proceedings.”
“The metro police will maintain a monitoring presence to ensure no further illegal reoccupation occurs while the shutdown of the property is completed.”
Tshwaku urged the public to share tip-offs with the city on illegal factories, unlawful property settlements and major bylaw infringements.
TimesLIVE
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