Tladi Camp Residents Celebrate Demolition Clearing Path to Electricity After 30 Years

Residents of Tladi Camp informal settlement in Soweto celebrated the demolition of a property that blocked the installation of an electric transformer. They have lived without electricity for more than 30 years. The demolition clears the way for power after a long delay.

The Johannesburg Department of Human Settlements led the demolition on Tuesday. Residents ululated and sang as a TLB tore down the empty brick-and-mortar structure. The property had obstructed the electric transformer installation.

The grandson of the house’s rightful owner joined the celebration. He said the structure stemmed from a family dispute since 2011, after his grandfather died.

I am happy to see this progress because the residents here have been waiting a long time, and the hindrance was one person, so we are relieved.

Tladi Camp started as an informal settlement over 30 years ago. It has lacked electricity since then. The house belonged to a rightful owner, but disputes arose after the grandfather’s death in 2011.

The city offered alternative accommodation to the family. The grandmother rented out the house in secret before demolition could happen. She fought in court for about five years. In 2026, she lost and received an eviction notice. These details come from the grandson’s account and city records.

The demolition removes a key obstacle for electrification and formalisation. Johannesburg MMC for Human Settlements Mlungisi Mabaso noted the impact.

In two consecutive financial years, the budget was made available for the electrification, then Eskom said, ‘You see, City of Johannesburg, we are not going to allocate funds for this project until you demolish the structure.’

Community members feel relief after decades without power. Here are three key implications:

• Progress on formalising the informal settlement.
• End to the family dispute that blocked development.
• Clear path to install electricity for residents.

Work on the electric transformer installation can now start, according to MMC Mabaso. This fits into broader efforts to formalise Tladi Camp. The property stood empty at the time, so no occupation issues remain.