The City of Cape Town is grappling with a mounting list of derelict and non-compliant properties, with 922 buildings currently listed by the Law Enforcement Problem Building Unit (PBU). Of these, 35% – or 322 properties – are active investigations.

The Law Enforcement Problem Building Unit has 922 buildings on its list – of these, 35% are active investigations, with most being monitored to ensure continued compliance.

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— City of Cape Town (@CityofCT) June 11, 2025

Significant progress has been made since the amendment of the Problem Property By-law in 2020, which strengthened the City’s enforcement mechanisms. The PBU now operates more closely with departments such as Finance and Legal Services to manage problematic City-owned, private, and parastatal properties. Despite these advances, the City continues to face major hurdles.

The properties are categorised by investigation status: 11 are new cases, 72 are recommended for closure, and 517 have been formally closed. Closed cases are monitored for two years to ensure compliance, with the option to reopen if new complaints arise.

Some of the most challenging cases involve deceased estates with no executor or surviving relatives, leaving properties in legal limbo. Others involve owners residing abroad who cannot be traced, delaying enforcement efforts.

“We have often seen that opportunistic criminals would use a derelict building to hide or to use such a building as a base of operations,” said Alderman JP Smith, Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security.

The 2020 By-law distinguishes between Problem Buildings: those with legal, health or safety violations and Buildings with Problems: which have aesthetic issues like broken windows or unkempt gardens. Each case is assessed on-site to determine its status, and owners of non-compliant properties are formally notified. Failure to comply within the specified timeframe results in the building being officially listed.

“The City’s Problem Building Unit has made great progress by working closely with other City departments, including our EPIC technology and following through on complaints received and investigating cases. Let’s work together and support our officers by reporting problem buildings,” said Smith.

Residents can report such properties by emailing problembuilding.unit@capetown.gov.za or by phoning 021 480 7700 from a mobile, or 107 from a landline.