Memories in Rubble: Tshwane Marabastad Building Demolished, 300 Residents and Entrepreneurs Affected

Pretoria – About 300 evicted business people and residents from Marabastad are picking through the rubble of their former lives after the City of Tshwane demolished the building they had occupied for decades. The operation has not only stripped them of their livelihoods but also their dignity, leaving many facing homelessness and economic ruin.

For the community, the site was more than just a building; it was a hub of economic opportunity and, for some, a home. The demolition has trapped memories in the rubble, erasing decades of hard work in a matter of hours.

City's Rationale: Plans for Formalization

The City of Tshwane has defended its actions, stating that the demolished building in Marabastad was allegedly hijacked and illegally occupied. The city now plans to formalize the land by constructing a proper business hub and residential units.

However, for the 300 displaced people, this long-term plan offers no immediate solution for their shattered lives. The conflict highlights the ongoing tension in South African cities between urban regeneration, the rule of law, and the urgent socio-economic needs of vulnerable communities.

Three Decades of Work Lost: The Story of Joseph Chocho

The human cost of the demolition is embodied by 61-year-old Joseph Chocho from Soshanguve. He had been running a successful funeral parlor from the building for close to three decades. In August 2025, his life's work was reduced to ruins, leaving his family economically vulnerable.

“The one who's looking, all the families with grandchildren,” Chocho said, highlighting the extended families that depended on his business. “So, I don't have any equipment for working because they took the stuff, they load them with the municipality and the metro police trucks.”

Chocho’s plea to the government is simple: temporary relief. “Looking, maybe if the government can give us temporarily the space, the buildings to work, because now we don't have any place to work.”

Lawyers Threaten Court Action, Demand Compensation and Alternative Space

A lawyer and activist representing the evicted group has labeled the eviction an injustice and an act of "state violence" that requires proper mitigation.

The legal demands are clear: “We certainly want compensation for the damaged equipment. We want compensation for the loss of earning. But also, we want the state to provide an alternative place of business, whilst they are reconstructing this, whatever plan that they have,” the lawyer stated.

Emphasizing the government's constitutional obligation, the lawyer added, “These people have a right to make an honest living to feed themselves and their families. It is the role of government to support and to assist them on that.”

Lawyers for Human Rights is now threatening to take the City of Tshwane to court if a measurable and just solution is not tabled urgently.

READ: Tshwane Metro Police Arrest 44 and Tear Down 95 Illegal Structures at Mabopane Station |

Homelessness and a Plea to the Mayor

For many, the demolition meant losing both their business and their home. One resident, who had lived at 96 Blue Street for over 21 years, is now homeless.

“Yes, I'm homeless... So, now I'm not working. I'm working in the street. I'm selling sweets and snacks. But now, I don't have the place to stay. My children, they don't have a place to stay,” he lamented. He questioned the legality of the process, stating, “Because as I know, in South Africa, when they chase you to the place, they have to give you a notice and then they have to give you at least a place to stay.”

Another complainant expressed the desperation of losing everything. “Nothing, I've got nothing. I'm just squatting with other people. And at the end of the day, you know how we stay when we're staying in somebody's place.” His plea was directed at the city's leadership: “So, what do we just need? We need the mayor to come to us, to come and to help us here, as he started this thing.”