RUBBER-STAMPED (PART 2): Testing the teeth of CT’s planning tribunal: Penalties, objections and refusals in 1,328 rulings

For more than three years, in the Blaauwberg district of Cape Town, ratepayers have been sounding the alarm on the proliferation of illegal and structurally unsafe buildings. In this second part of Daily Maverick’s analysis of all Municipal Planning Tribunal rulings from 1 July 2025 to 31 July 2026, we look at what the data say about the efficacy of administrative penalties. We also look at the numbers on objections, conflicts of interest and refusals.