City of Johannesburg officials raided two more plush homes in Bryanston yesterday, reports News24.

This comes just days after a raid on a mansion in the same area, and authorities believe that a man identified as Lawrence Ramalwa hijacked both properties.

Ramalwa was arrested during the previous raid in Grosvenor Road on 8 January 2026.   It is believed that he leased out dwellings illegally erected on both properties.

During yesterday’s raid, city officials, including city manager Floyd Brink, discovered that more residents had put up dwellings in the garden of the Bryanston Drive property, similar to those erected at the Grosvenor Road mansion.

Similarly, hundreds of wires from illegal connections snaked above the property, and the pool had been converted into a wastewater disposal system. 

According to Brink, the property owes the city R1.1m unpaid services. It is understood that the owner is currently abroad. Investigations are underway into the possible hijacking of two more properties in the Sandton neighbourhood.

Ramalwa first appeared in court last Friday, but his bail hearing will take place this Friday as police are still investigating several aspects of the case, including which laws were transgressed.

The house was one of two to be raided yesterday.

While city officials believe the owner of the second home, a Chinese national, is still collecting rent from the property, there have been several violations, including the number of people living on the property and possible electricity use issues.

Every inch of space in the building and on the verandas had been turned into informal dwellings.

Meanwhile, the city has several other properties in their sights which are said to be hijacked in the wealthy neighbourhood.

Full News24 report