By Dylan Bettencourt
- A whistleblower recorded an official called “Norman” asking R900 for digital copies and R1,300 for printed plans in Johannesburg.
- The locked archive leaves homeowners, architects and estate agents stuck, unable to sell houses or plan renovations without approved plans.
Johannesburg officials are allegedly demanding bribes from residents desperate to access house plans.
According to Sunday Times, officials have asked for up to R2,000. One resident recorded an official, calling himself “Norman”, saying the plans were “not here” and hinting he could fetch them for a price.
He allegedly demanded R900 for digital copies and R1,300 for printouts.
The plans are stored in the Metro Centre basement, which has been closed since 2023. The city has more than a million files, including zoning records and drawings dating back to Johannesburg’s birth.
Development planning MMC Eunice Mgcina said she was “shocked” and promised action if the bribery was proved. “You can’t be selling plans to our residents,” she said.
David Fleminger of the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation called the scam outrageous. “This is not only illegal, but it also compromises the integrity of the historical archive,” he warned.
Without the plans, homeowners, architects and estate agents are stuck. Selling a house, applying for renovations or planning redevelopments requires approved plans. If they can’t be found, owners must pay for expensive new drawings.
DA councillor Daniel Schay said the Metro Centre has been abandoned and turned into a “corruption hub”, forcing residents to pay “illicit fees to access records”.
But city official Patrick Kgabe, who manages the archive, said he knew nothing about the bribes. He confirmed the Metro Centre is closed and the records are not available at the temporary Newtown offices.
Pictured above: Eunice Mgcina.
Image source: @Eunice_Mgcina
