The man known as Lawrence, connected to a R5.1 million property in Bryanston that was unlawfully occupied and altered to house several people has been arrested at the City of Johannesburg.
Authorities also confirmed he was in possession of a firearm, two licensed magazines, and ammunition. The case has been handed over to police, with further charges expected.
After years of the owner wrestling to legally remove the occupants and the alleged landlord in from squatter camps built in the property. They have disregarded a seven-day notice to vacate in December 2025. City Manager Floyd Brink led a multidisciplinary operation that resulted in the arrest.
The landlord is reported to have been collecting up to R2,000 a month from residents living in makeshift structures.
City officials previously visited the property to enforce a court-ordered relocation. The site, which housed over 400 people without water, electricity, or sanitation, has become a dumping ground.
The alleged landlord had previously demanded R50,000 per family member, claiming he inherited the main building decades ago, while many residents refused official housing assessments and presented documents now suspected to be fraudulent.
During a December inspection, officials uncovered multiple illegal structures built to accommodate residents. Three witness statements directly linked the suspect to illicit rent collection.
“There is a critical need to address these issues for the sake of our community’s safety and the city’s financial sustainability. We are actively investigating 17 additional properties across Wards 102 and 104 identified for similar illegal occupation,”Brink said.
Officials revealed that electricity and water services at the Bryanston property had been illegally reconnected, despite the rightful owner having disconnected them years ago.
Brink warned that such connections place an unfair financial burden on law-abiding residents and emphasized that the city will enforce a zero-tolerance policy.
“We are taking immediate action to secure the property and will work with Social Development and Human Settlements teams to ensure residents are relocated through proper legal and social channels. In the coming weeks, residents can expect more operations addressing illegal occupations and unauthorised utility connections across our city,” Brink added.
The city has urged residents to report any suspicious activity related to property hijacking or illegal utility connections to authorities.
♦️BREAKING NEWS♦️
— COJ People’s MMC Public Safety (@PublicSafetyMMC) January 8, 2026
Following a continued enforcement operation led by the MMC for Public Safety, the suspect known as Lawrence, linked to the hijacking of a property on Grosvenor Road, Bryanston, has been successfully arrested.
During the operation, a firearm and live ammunition… pic.twitter.com/FPt3PN6x8O
