The City of Johannesburg has formalised a new partnership with the Lonehill Residents Association (LRA) to speed up pothole repairs across Lonehill, Lonehill East, Beverley and Pineslopes.
NOWinSA attended the launch and spoke to Executive Mayor Dada Morero about why residents are still waiting for a resolution to the Ginger Park informal settlement eviction in Paulshof.
The issue forms part of a wider Johannesburg problem involving hijacked buildings and unmanaged settlements in downtown Johannesburg , which NOWinSA has reported extensively on.
A year after our last conversation with him at Ginger Park, NOWinSA spoke to Morero again about the unresolved Ginger Park eviction, now compounded by a growing litter crisis affecting nearby households.
Watch his full response in the video below.
Why is the Ginger Park eviction delayed?
Morero confirmed that the court order authorising the Ginger Park eviction is in place. However, one step remains before the city can act.
“The only thing that I’m still finalising is where I’m relocating the South African citizens in Ginger Park,” he told NOWinSA.
He said the law requires the city to secure alternative accommodation first, with around 40 identified families still needing a confirmed relocation site.
That requirement reflects established principles under the Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act (PIE).
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has previously noted that an eviction should not leave unlawful occupiers homeless without alternative accommodation, according to its guidance on humane Evictions.
“Once about 40 or odd South African citizens we can confirm their place of relocation, then we are moving in,” Morero said.
He added that businesses near the site have committed to erecting a fence once the area is cleared.
Morero promises action on Ginger Park litter
The litter building up around Ginger Park has become another concern for nearby residents. They say accumulated waste has led to burning, with smoke affecting surrounding homes.
Morero said the city does not need another court order to tackle the dumping.
He said he would send city teams to clear the Ginger Park dumping site, separate from the eviction process itself.
The dispute also comes as Johannesburg continues to grapple with the wider problem of hijacked buildings and unmanaged properties, particularly in the inner city.
The issue can have deadly consequences. In 2025, the murder of DJ Warras was linked to a hijacked building business in Johannesburg.
ALSO READ: Johannesburg illegal building collapse: 8 dead in Ormonde
Watch the full interview above for Morero’s response on stalled traffic lights along the Northlands-to-Rivonia stretch, as well as his conversations with MMC Kenny Kunene about road infrastructure in the area.
