Build One South Africa (BOSA) today calls for a full, independent audit of all properties owned by the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) following mounting evidence that municipal land and buildings have been illegally sold through what appears to be an organised and multi-departmental syndicate.
A piece of land in Johannesburg’s Ward 54, Ormonde, now under scrutiny, is just one of many properties allegedly sold unlawfully. Its sale, like that of another property in Ward 125, Kibler Park, forms part of an ongoing investigation by Johannesburg’s Group Forensic and Investigation Services (G-FIS) into fraudulent property transactions.
For years, City-owned properties have reportedly been hijacked, manipulated, and transferred to individuals linked to officials and politically connected elites. The alleged syndicate appears to involve insiders across key institutions, including the Johannesburg Property Company (JPC), the Deeds Office, and other government departments responsible for property transfers.
The full scale of the scandal remains unknown because the City of Johannesburg does not have a reliable or comprehensive asset register. There is no accurate record of all vacant land, buildings, or other properties owned by the municipality. This has created fertile ground for corruption, asset stripping, and the quiet looting of public property.
In areas such as Ormonde, state-owned property that could support accessible, quality and affordable education is instead tied up in fraud and legal uncertainty.
The year-long G-FIS investigation is reportedly nearing completion, with a final report expected soon. Its findings could trigger legal action to recover assets sold illegally. However, BOSA warns that this alone is not enough.
While the G-FIS probe is welcomed, it remains an internal structure that ultimately reports to the City itself. The City of Johannesburg cannot be allowed to investigate and oversee its own potential failures in isolation. BOSA therefore demands:
- An independent, external audit of every property owned by the City of Johannesburg
- The urgent establishment of a verified and publicly accessible asset register
- Full transparency on all properties under investigation
- Criminal accountability for officials and external actors involved in illegal transfers
Public land is not a private commodity for political insiders. Resident of Johannesburg deserve to know exactly what the city owns, what has been lost, and who is responsible. That begins with a full audit.
Media Enquiries:
Roger Solomons
BOSA Spokesperson
072 299 3551