“Joburg CBD Buildings Are Hijacked by South Africans, Not Nigerians,” Galston Anthony Says

Incoming Johannesburg mayor Galston Anthony has pushed back against claims that hijacked buildings in the Johannesburg Central Business District (CBD) are mainly linked to foreign nationals. He says South Africans are the ones responsible for hijacking properties in the city.

“The hijacked buildings in Joburg CBD are hijacked by South Africans, not Nigerians, Congolese or Malawians,” Anthony said.

His remarks have brought fresh attention to a long-running debate about hijacked buildings, illegal occupation, housing shortages and the role of law enforcement in South Africa’s economic hub. They also challenge the habit of linking building hijackings to people from other African countries, including Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Malawi.

Hijacked buildings have been a major concern in Johannesburg for years. Questions about who owns the properties, how safe they are, who is living in them illegally and whether city bylaws are being enforced come up often in public discussion. The issue has also added to tensions around immigration, with some residents and political figures calling for tougher action against undocumented foreign nationals. Anthony’s comments move the focus to the part played by South African citizens in occupying and controlling inner city properties.

The problem is complicated. It can involve unlawful occupation, criminal activity, dangerous living conditions and disputes over how buildings are managed. To deal with it, authorities need to establish what is happening at each property and who is behind the unlawful activity.

Anthony’s position also points to the need to separate building hijackings from wider concerns about immigration. Foreign nationals live and do business in Johannesburg, but their presence alone does not show that they are responsible for taking over a building. His remarks could shape how the city approaches the problem without blaming whole nationalities for crimes committed by individuals.

The city is under pressure to improve building safety, enforce its bylaws and make sure properties are run according to the law. Any plan must also take into account the rights and safety of the people who live in the affected buildings.

Still, how many cases involve South African citizens and how many involve foreign nationals can only be established through reliable evidence, and not through broad claims from either side.

Source; https://x.com/ThisIsColbert/status/2112932999180222600

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