Residents urged to get plans approved before they build
18 November 2016
The City of Johannesburg’s Development Planning Department has once again emphasised to residents the importance of refurbishing or extending their properties in accordance with approved building plans.
The department has since Thursday November 10 been hosting a series of open days in various parts of the city to educate and sensitise members of the public about its core mandate.
The roadshows, which cover all the City’s seven regions, follow the celebration of World Town Planning Day on November 8.
World Town Planning Day or World Urbanism Day has been celebrated every year since 1949 in more than 30 countries to advance public and professional interest in town planning and to recognise and promote its role in creating liveable communities. Addressing residents at Kopanong Community Hall in Dobsonville, Soweto, on Thursday November 17, the department’s Thabang Sithole said the City wanted to see an improvement in the quality of life of its residents.
“We as the City encourage people to build backyard rooms and rent them out so they can make their properties work for them. All that we ask is that before you start building, draw up a house plan and come to us so it can be approved and your extensions legalised,” said Sithole.
He, however, warned residents that taking shortcuts and building or extending houses without approved building plans could be disastrous for residents in the end as they could struggle to sell their properties or get appropriate value from them.
“If you do things the right way you will avoid having trouble with law enforcement agencies,” said Sithole.
Although residents might have extended their houses without the City’s knowledge or approval, they could still approach the municipality to have their extensions legalised, said Sithole.
Residents who want to open spaza shops in residential areas were encouraged to draw up a plan, obtain a trading licence from the Department of Health and submit both documents to the City for approval.
Resident Muzi Ndaba, 52, said most people in the township built or extended their properties without house plans because they did not know there were procedures to be followed.
“This open day has been very informative. Now I know what I need to do to rectify the mistake that I made by building without approval from the municipality,” said Ndaba.
Similar open days have been held in Braamfischerville in Region C, Danie van Zyl Community Hall in Brixton, Lenasia in Region G, Marks Park in Emmarentia in Region B and Metro Centre in Braamfontein.