Alpha Ramushwana2 July 2025 | 6:38

Acting Joburg Mayor Kunene shuts down crèche in Joburg CBD hijacked building

On Tuesday, Kunene, alongside Public Safety MMC Mgcini Tshwaku raided dilapidated buildings.

Acting Joburg Mayor Kunene shuts down crèche in Joburg CBD hijacked building

Acting Johannesburg Mayor Kenny Kunene (centre) addressed the media on 1 July 2025 during raids on buildings in Johannesburg's CBD suspected of harbouring undocumented immigrants. Picture: Simphiwe Nkosi/EWN

JOHANNESBURG - Acting Johannesburg Mayor Kenny Kunene shut down a crèche operating in a hijacked building in the inner city.

Kunene, alongside Public Safety MMC Mgcini Tshwaku, raided dilapidated buildings on Tuesday.

This is part of the metro’s efforts to reclaim hijacked properties, which are believed to harbour undocumented migrants. 

READ: Over 40 people believed to be undocumented migrants arrested during Joburg CBD raid

As the acting Johannesburg Mayor, Kunene, walked through a hijacked building in the CBD and was immediately taken aback by the makeshift shacks built inside.

But what grabbed his attention was the sound of laughing toddlers coming from one of the shacks.

When Kunene stepped inside, he found a crèche operating behind walls made of cardboard and mattresses.

“The lawlessness that we are seeing in the buildings that are hijacked leads to these illegal crèches under inhumane conditions. So, we are assisting the parents of those children by clearing all these illegal buildings.”

It was unclear who was running the crèche, as several people fled the scene when they saw the large police presence.

Kunene said the city’s Social Development Department would have to be roped in.