Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JCPZ), the City of Johannesburg’s entity responsible for greening, horticultural, and maintenance services, has implemented targeted maintenance schedules to address seasonal backlogs caused by recent heavy rains.

JCPZ oversees more than 20,000 hectares of green open spaces across Johannesburg, including flagship parks, conservation areas, a botanic garden, 134 conservation sites, 38 cemeteries, 3 crematoria, and the Joburg Zoo. This vast network also includes an estimated 3.6 million street trees, wetlands, water bodies, river trails, and the ongoing management of invasive plant species.

The City of Johannesburg will undertake a targeted, multi-disciplinary enforcement operation tomorrow, 13 January 2026, to address the growing problem of illegal outdoor advertising across the city.

This operation responds to ongoing concerns that unauthorised advertising structures are often linked to illegal connections to the City’s electricity supply, pose serious traffic and public safety risks, and significantly undermine municipal revenue collection through non-compliance with advertising by-laws and engineering certification requirements.

Authorities from the City of Johannesburg have intensified interventions against alleged property hijacking, illegal occupation, and non-compliant land use in the Bryanston area, following the identification of multiple high-value properties linked to unlawful activities and serious health and safety risks.

Two properties located on Bryanston Drive had been flagged during coordinated operation involving the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), Group Forensic and Investigation Services (GFIS), Development Planning, City Power, Joburg Water, Home Affairs, Health & Social Development, Environmental Health, and Human Settlements departments

The City of Johannesburg officials have confirmed the arrest of a suspect in connection with a property that has been illegally occupied and modified to house numerous individuals. This development follows the multi-disciplinary operation led by the City Manager, Dr Floyd Brink, at a property in Grosvenor Road, Bryanston.

During an inspection last December, city officials uncovered multiple unlawful structures on the property, including makeshift rooms that had been constructed to accommodate residents. The investigation team has since gathered three positive statements from witnesses linking the suspect to the illicit collection of rents on the premises.

Johannesburg Water’s systems have recovered and are supplying normally followingthe third and final phase of the Rand Water maintenance. However, full restorationincertain parts can take up to several days.

The Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Environment and Infrastructure Services, Cllr Jack Sekwaila, wishes to inform residents of the City of Johannesburg that the City, through its municipalowned entity City Power, has undertaken a feasibility study to assess the viability of acquiring Kelvin Power Station and Egoli Gas as part of a broader strategy to strengthen energy security, diversify supply sources, and reduce the City’s long-term reliance on Eskom. At this stage, discussions remain at an early and exploratory phase, and neither Kelvin Power Station nor Egoli Gas has been formally engaged regarding any potential acquisition. The feasibility study is intended to inform decisionmaking and does not constitute a decision to acquire. It is also important to note that both Kelvin Power Station and Egoli Gas historically formed part of the City’s broader energy ecosystem, and their consideration represents a possible reintegration rather than an entirely new concept.

Johannesburg Water has confirmed its full operational readiness for the final phase of Rand Water’s scheduled maintenance programme, aimed at improving there liability and sustainability of the bulk water supply system.

The third and final leg of Rand Water’s planned maintenance on their systems is scheduled to take place from 6 January 2026 at 04:00 until 8 January 2026at 08:00.

The third leg of Rand Water’s planned maintenance on their systems is scheduled totakeplace from 6 January 2026 at 04:00 until 8 January 2026 at 08:00.

This 54-hour maintenance will be undertaken to replace certain isolation meter in theRandbulk supply pipes. During this time, affected Johannesburg Water systems will declineuntil empty, which will result in poor pressure to no water. Direct feeds will be affectedbynowater for the duration.

The City of Johannesburg, through the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) confirms that a combination of power supply challenges, infrastructure theft, and scheduled technical upgrades is currently impacting traffic signal functionality at certain key intersections.

The JRA is aware of widespread power outages currently affecting the following areas:

• Killarney
• Houghton
• Denver
• Braamfontein and surrounding precincts.

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