By Palesa Matlala
- Marble Towers owes the City of Johannesburg R14-million in water, electricity, rates and taxes, and has had both services cut off.
- Marble Towers owes Joburg R14-million for water, electricity, rates and taxes, and the city has already cut off both services.
A Johannesburg court has ordered the owners of Marble Towers to bring the troubled CBD skyscraper in line with the law, giving them 20 days to submit proper building plans or face city enforcement.
The South Gauteng High Court dismissed an urgent application by Goldenrod Group, the registered owner of the building, which had gone to court to stop the City of Johannesburg from demolishing illegal container structures and informal trading units on the property. Judge Leicester Adams ruled that courts cannot shield illegal activity, especially where public safety is at risk.
But Adams also warned the city that it cannot simply demolish structures without following due legal process.
Goldenrod must now stop all construction immediately, seal off dangerous parts of the building within 72 hours, remove structures blocking public spaces, and submit approved building plans within 20 days. If they fail, the city can take lawful enforcement action. The owners were also ordered to pay legal costs.
The building is not zoned for residential use. It is a commercial office skyscraper. Despite that, hundreds of people are reported to be living inside, in makeshift shacks and converted spaces built without approved plans. The city found that container structures attached to the building violated fire and building safety regulations.
Marble Towers also owes the city R14-million in water, electricity, rates and taxes. The city has already cut off both services.
Mayor Dada Morero said officials found serious bylaw violations during a recent enforcement operation at the building.
“We have established that the building owes us R14-million in water, electricity, rates and taxes. So, we are acting,” he said.
Morero and senior city officials were due to brief the media on Thursday on the outcome of the case.
Pictured above: City of Johannesburg executive mayor Dada Moreo and a legal counsel who represented the city in the court proceedings on Thursday.
Image source: City of Johannesburg
