"Why're They Still Standing?": TikToker Explores Vannin Court, Hillbrow's "Most Dangerous" Building

• TikToker Travelwithtebogo ventured inside Vannin Court, a notorious hijacked building on Hill Road in Hillbrow, Johannesburg
• Residents inside the eight-storey block live without electricity or running water and pay no rent
• City officials have visited the building but residents say little has changed, with promises of alternative accommodation still unfulfilled

A Johannesburg content creator did what most locals would never dare to do. @ravelwithtebogo walked into Vanninn Court on Hill Road, Hillbrow and filmed the entire thing.

Posted on 19 July 2026, the building has long had a fearsome reputation in the area. Many Hillbrow and Joburg residents avoid the street it sits on entirely. Tebogo admitted he had never expected to set foot inside, but two men he met at the entrance agreed to guide him through.

What he found was an eight-storey structure in near-total decay. Broken windows, burst pipes and darkened corridors stretched across every floor. Rubbish had piled up in the courtyard, with residents confirming that municipal cleaning services stopped coming long ago. There is no electricity and no running water, which means no rent is paid either. Residents charge their phones at neighbouring flats and collect water from a nearby hydraulic pump.

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Life Inside Vannin Court

Despite the conditions, fewer than 500 people call the building home. Some have children living with them inside the crumbling structure. Tebogo spoke to a woman on one of the upper floors who told him that daytime is relatively calm because the community has taken it upon themselves to keep dangerous individuals out. At night, though, the building becomes an entirely different place.

City officials have visited the site and numbered the units, but residents say nothing concrete has followed. They told Tebogo they are willing to leave but want proper alternative accommodation secured before they move. Their fear is that they will be relocated without any guarantees in place.

Tebogo also asked residents about the 30 June march that drew attention to conditions in the Joburg CBD. They said the area changed for about two days before everything returned to how it was before.

Standing on one of the upper balconies, Tebogo pointed out that the buildings directly next to Vannin Court still appeared to be in reasonable condition, managed by other landlords. The contrast was stark. He noted that Hillbrow is separated from Braamfontein by just one road, with children playing football on streets only a short distance away.

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He paid the men who guided him R70 for access and left as quickly as he could once he noticed people nearby growing uncomfortable with his phone out on the street.

Hillbrow’s Troubled Landmark

Built nearly a century ago in the 1920s, Hillbrow’s Vannin Court has become a symbol of the challenges facing parts of Johannesburg. The ageing building, situated on Kotze Street, is located in an area that has gained a reputation for crime, with reports of hijackings and criminal activity affecting the neighbourhood.

Watch full TikTok video below:

Mzansi Reacts to Vannin Court Video

South Africans in the comments section of @travelwithtebogo's TikTok had plenty to say:

@Salesman wrote:

"Used to live here from 2020 until 2025 now I bought a house in Sandton. U'Thixo ona mandla [God is powerful]"

@Thabiso TZ asked:

"Who owns these buildings?"

@Katz🌸 said:

"Why are these buildings still standing? 😭"

@Siyamthanda.Nkuthalo shared:

"Was staying in that building in the early 2000s"

@Lindokuhle Mabaso reflected:

"You can tell that Hillbrow was once a very beautiful place 🤞🏼😭"

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More Briefly News Stories on Hillbrow

• A 30-year-old man was arrested in Hillbrow after allegedly posing as a municipal official and extorting residents by threatening to disconnect their electricity and water unless they paid him cash.
• A kind stranger stepped in to help a homeless woman who had spent years serving her community, giving her a second chance and inspiring South Africans with an act of compassion.
• Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero returned to Marble Towers and found illegal trading continuing despite a court order, prompting the City to enforce demolitions and shut down unlawful structures.

Source: Briefly News