Pest control across Johannesburg · Sandton to Soweto
Pest control in Johannesburg, done properly
Combat Pest Control treats termites, cockroaches, rats, bed bugs and 30 more pests across Johannesburg. We inspect first, treat the cause, and back the work with a 3-month guarantee.
About Combat
Johannesburg's pests, handled by people who know the city
Johannesburg pest control is what we've done for 25 years. From termites in Houghton's old timber floors to rats along the Jukskei and cockroaches in inner-city flats, every suburb has its own problem. We treat the cause, not just what you can see.
25years
Owner and operator
Jason van Heerden
Combat Pest Control (formerly Johannesburg Pest Control) is run by Jason van Heerden, who brings 25 years in pest control to every job. The business is SAPCA registered and registered with the Department of Agriculture under Act 36 of 1947, offers service within 24 hours, and backs treatments with a 3-month guarantee, or 5 years with a certificate on termite work.
Every pest, treated the right way
All pest control services
Termite Control
Subterranean termites can hollow out door frames and roof timbers long before anyone notices, while harvester termites strip Highveld lawns bare in dry winters. We confirm which kind you have, treat the colony at its source rather than the damage, and back termite treatments with a 5-year guarantee and a treatment certificate.
Rodent Control
Rats, mice and garden mole-rats each need a different approach, so the first job is working out which one you have. Bait goes into lockable, tamper-resistant stations or traps are set along the runs they actually use, and we show you the gaps in roofs, drains and walls worth closing.
Cockroach Control
German cockroaches breed fast in warm kitchens, behind fridges and inside appliance motors, while the larger American cockroach comes up from drains. Restaurants, flats and complexes often pass them between units. Gel baits go into the cracks where they hide, residual treatment follows where needed, and we return if they're back within three months.
Bed Bug Control
Bed bugs travel in luggage, second-hand furniture and on overnight guests, so hotels, guesthouses and student digs see them as often as family homes do. They hide in mattress seams, bed bases, headboards and skirting cracks. Treatment covers every hiding spot in the room, with a planned return visit to catch newly hatched bugs.
Ant Control
Ants march indoors in long trails after Highveld summer storms, often straight to the sugar bowl or the dog's food. Spraying the trail only scatters them. Instead we use baits the workers carry back to the nest, so the colony dies off, and treat entry points around doors, paving and window frames.
Wood Borer Treatment
Round exit holes and fine powdery dust under floorboards, roof trusses, antique furniture or door frames are classic signs of wood borer. Older Johannesburg homes with original timber floors and ceilings are especially prone. We confirm whether the infestation is still active, treat the affected wood and tell you honestly when a piece needs replacing.
Pest Control
General pest treatment for houses, flats, offices, schools and shops across the city. We work out what you're dealing with, where it gets in and why it stays, then treat it properly instead of just spraying what we can see. Service is within 24 hours, and general treatments carry a 3-month guarantee.
Rat Control
Roof rats in ceilings and brown rats around drains, bins and compost heaps turn up in older suburbs and busy commercial strips alike. Scratching at night, gnawed cables and greasy marks along walls usually give them away. We bait in secure stations, check what's been taken on follow-up and point out how they're getting in.
Mouse Control
Mice squeeze through surprisingly small gaps, which is why townhouse kitchens, office pantries and storerooms see so many of them once the cold months arrive. We place baits and traps exactly where droppings show they're feeding, then help you find the openings behind stoves, geysers, cupboards and pipe runs so new ones can't follow.
Mole Control
Fresh mounds of soil across a lawn or flowerbed are usually the work of mole-rats rather than true moles. They chew through bulbs, roots and vegetable beds and can ruin a garden in a single season. We locate the active tunnels and treat them directly, which works far better than flooding burrows with a hosepipe.
Flea Control
Fleas develop from eggs dropped deep in carpets, pet beds and shady spots in the garden, so treating only the dog rarely ends the problem. We treat the house and the outdoor areas where your animals lie, explain how to handle the pet side with your vet, and advise on vacuuming.
Tick Control
Ticks wait in long grass, along fence lines and in the shrubbery where dogs patrol, and the warm, wet Johannesburg summer is their busiest time. Beyond the irritation, they can carry biliary in dogs and tick bite fever in people. We treat lawns, kennels and garden edges so your pets bring far fewer indoors.
Fish Moth Control
Silverfish, or fish moths as most people call them, feed on paper, starch, glue and fabric in damp, dark corners. Built-in cupboards, bookshelves, garages and boxes of old documents are where they settle. We treat the cracks and voids where they shelter and suggest practical ways to cut the humidity that keeps them coming back.
Booklice Control
Booklice are pale, tiny insects that feed on mould growing on damp paper, cardboard, food packaging and freshly plastered walls. Finding them usually means there's moisture in the room that needs attention. We treat the affected areas, help you trace the damp and advise on storage, so the problem doesn't return after the rains.
Carpet Beetle Control
Small holes in a wool rug, a damaged jersey or a scatter of tiny bristly larvae under the couch often point to carpet beetles. The adults feed on pollen outside, but their larvae eat natural fibres in dark, undisturbed corners. We find the breeding spots, treat them and explain what needs cleaning or washing.
Spider Control
Most house spiders are harmless, but nobody wants webs in every eave or a sac spider in the bedroom. Button spiders and violin spiders do turn up in garages, woodpiles and outbuildings around Johannesburg. We treat eaves, window frames, storerooms and garden walls, which means fewer spiders settling and fewer insects there to feed them.
Scorpion Control
Scorpions shelter under rocks, paving, woodpiles and garden rubble, and properties on the ridges or in estates next to open veld see them more than most. On warm summer nights they wander indoors under doors. We treat the perimeter and the places they hide, then show you which garden habits are drawing them closer.
Centipede Control
Centipedes hunt other insects in damp places, so seeing them indoors often means there's food and moisture nearby that they like. Bathrooms, cellars, drains and thick garden mulch are common sources. Treatment concentrates on outer walls, entry points and damp corners, together with simple advice on removing the conditions that keep them around the house.
Millipede Control
After the first good summer rains, millipedes can climb walls and pile up on patios, in garages and in swimming pools. They're harmless but unpleasant, and they leave a stain when crushed underfoot. A barrier treatment along the foundations, doorways and garden beds stops most of them before they ever reach the house itself.
Wasp Control
Paper wasps build under eaves, inside roof gutters and around garden taps, while mud daubers leave clay cells on walls and window frames. A nest near a doorway, pool or children's play area is a real sting risk. We treat and remove the nest carefully and check the property for others before leaving.
Bee Control
Swarms often settle in roof spaces, wall cavities, meter boxes and hollow trees during spring and summer. Bees matter, so wherever possible we work with a beekeeper to have the swarm removed alive. When a colony is established inside a structure and can't be moved, we deal with it and advise on sealing the space.
Fly Control
House flies and blowflies breed in bins, compost, pet waste and food scraps, and in the warmer months they pour into kitchens, restaurants and food shops. Getting rid of them means removing breeding sites as well as treating the surfaces where they rest. We do both and advise on bin areas, drains and screening.
Maggot Control
Maggots in a wheelie bin, under a floorboard or around a drain mean flies have found something rotting nearby, sometimes a dead rodent inside a ceiling or wall. We find the source, treat the larvae and the surrounding area, and deal with whatever attracted the flies so the cycle doesn't start again next week.
Mosquito Control
Standing water in blocked gutters, pot plant saucers, neglected pools and water features lets mosquitoes breed right through the Highveld summer. We treat the shaded outdoor spots where adults rest, track down the breeding water and show you what to empty or cover. Homes near rivers, dams and wetlands tend to benefit most from this.
Bird Mite Control
Tiny mites crawling over walls, beds and skin, often after pigeons or mynas have nested in the roof, are a common spring call-out. Once the chicks leave, the mites go looking for a new host. We remove or treat the nest, treat the affected rooms and suggest how to keep birds out.
Bird Proofing
Pigeons nesting on ledges, solar panels, signage and roof gaps leave droppings that stain, block gutters and bring mites into the building. Bird proofing uses spikes, netting and sealed entry points to stop them landing and roosting, without harming the birds. It suits homes, shopping centres, warehouses and factory roofs.
Insect Control
Not every insect problem fits neatly into one category. Where a home or business has a mix of crawling and flying pests, we inspect, identify what's actually present and plan one combined treatment for the inside and the perimeter. General treatments are backed by a 3-month guarantee, and we offer service within 24 hours.
Crawling Insect Control
Cockroaches, ants, fish moths, spiders and other crawlers all use the same cracks, skirting gaps and service ducts to move around a building. A crawling insect treatment pairs gel baits with an odourless, non-staining residual spray along those routes. There's no need to move out; just keep children and pets off treated surfaces until dry.
Flying Insect Control
Flies, mosquitoes, moths and midges become a nuisance quickly in kitchens, on patios and in food businesses during the warm months. We look for where they breed and rest, treat those areas and advise on screens, outdoor lighting and bin management. Scheduled service contracts with records are available for restaurants, shops and warehouses.
Biting Insect Control
Unexplained bites can come from fleas, bed bugs, bird mites, mosquitoes or ticks, and each one needs a completely different treatment. Guessing wastes time and money, and the bites carry on. So we start by identifying exactly what is biting you or your family, then treat the source rather than just the room.
Fumigation
Some infestations, such as stored-product insects in a warehouse or severe borer in furniture, need fumigation rather than spraying. The area or item is sealed and treated with registered fumigants, and nobody goes back in until it's cleared. We plan the timing with you so homes and businesses lose as little time as possible.
Soil Poisoning
Soil poisoning places a treated barrier in the ground under and around a building, so subterranean termites can't tunnel up into the structure from below. It's usually done before foundations are cast and slabs are laid, at the stage your builder schedules. Developers, contractors and homeowners adding an extension or outbuilding all use this service.
Termite Pre-Treatments
New houses, extensions and outbuildings on Highveld soil need termite protection before the concrete goes down, because treating under a finished slab is far harder. We treat the prepared ground at the right stage of construction, working around your builder's programme, so the building starts life with a barrier against subterranean termites.
Entomological Inspections
An entomological inspection gives you a written report on pest activity, often needed when buying or selling a property or running a food business. We check for termites, wood borer and other timber pests, or for insects and rodents in kitchens and stores, and set out clearly what we found and what it needs.
Pest Exterminator
When you simply need someone experienced to come out and sort the problem, that's what we do. Combat Pest Control has 25 years in the trade, is SAPCA registered and is registered with the Department of Agriculture under Act 36 of 1947. Homes, complexes and businesses across Johannesburg get service within 24 hours.
Pest pressure across Johannesburg
Every part of the city has its own mix of pests, shaped by its housing, trees, rivers and businesses.
The north
Sandton, Bryanston, Fourways and Midrand combine leafy old suburbs, dense townhouse complexes, security estates on former veld and big office parks. Roof rats run the tree canopy, harvester termites strip estate lawns in winter, and shared roofs in complexes let cockroaches and mice move from unit to unit.
The west
Randburg, Northcliff and Roodepoort sit on and around the Witwatersrand ridges, with rockeries, koppies and established gardens. Expect scorpions and spiders in rocky gardens, moles and millipedes after summer rain, and subterranean termites in homes that back onto open veld.
Rosebank, the east and the inner city
Parktown, Houghton, Rosebank and the eastern suburbs have the oldest homes in the city, with timber floors, pressed ceilings and huge trees: prime territory for wood borer, termites and roof rats. In Braamfontein, Hillbrow and the CBD, high-density flats and restaurants mean German cockroaches, bed bugs and rodents in shared services.
The south and Soweto
Johannesburg South and Soweto mix older family homes, backyard rooms, spaza shops and light industry near the Klip River and old mine land. Rats, cockroaches, flies and fleas are the everyday calls, with termites in older timber and harvester termites in dry lawns.
Termites
Termites: Johannesburg's most expensive pest
Subterranean termites eat roof trusses, door frames and built-in cupboards from the inside, often for months before anyone notices the mud tubes. Harvester termites don't touch the house but can strip a lawn bare in a dry winter. We identify which one you have, treat the colony through the soil or the nest openings, and pre-treat the soil under new slabs and extensions. Buying or selling? We do termite inspections and certificates too.
Cost
What pest control costs, and why
There's no single price, because no two jobs are the same. The cost depends on:
- The pest: a cockroach treatment in a flat is a smaller job than termites in a house.
- The size of the property and how many rooms, units or buildings need treating.
- How established the problem is, and whether follow-up visits are needed.
- For businesses, how often you need scheduled monitoring.
Guide prices start from R750 for cockroaches in a flat and R950 for rats and mice. See all our guide prices. We confirm the price after we've seen what's going on, and if it's something you can handle yourself, we'll tell you.
How we work
The same four steps on every job, from a one-bedroom flat to a warehouse.
- InspectWe find what the pest is, where it lives, how it gets in and what's feeding it.
- TreatThe right method for that pest: baits, gels, soil treatments or targeted sprays, safe around children and pets.
- PreventWe show you the gaps, habits and spots that let pests back in, and how to fix them.
- Follow upWe come back where the pest needs it, and our 3-month guarantee covers the treatment.
Find your area
Ten main service areas and 142 suburbs, each with its own pages.
Browse all 10 areas and 142 suburbs
Sandton (20)
Randburg (15)
Fourways (11)
Midrand (12)
Rosebank (39)
- Bellevue
- Berea
- Bezuidenhout Valley
- Braamfontein
- Bruma
- Cyrildene
- Doornfontein
- Dunkeld
- Fordsburg
- Forest Town
- Glenhazel
- Greenside
- Highlands North
- Hillbrow
- Houghton
- Hyde Park
- Illovo
- Jeppestown
- Kensington
- Killarney
- Linksfield
- Malvern
- Marshalltown
- Mayfair
- Melrose
- Newtown
- Norwood
- Oaklands
- Observatory
- Orange Grove
- Parkhurst
- Parktown
- Parktown North
- Parkview
- Saxonwold
- Sydenham
- Troyeville
- Westcliff
- Yeoville
Northcliff (10)
Towns around Gauteng: see the full list of areas.
Seeing something you don't like? Send us a photo.
We'll tell you what it is and what it takes to fix, before anyone drives out.
FAQs
Questions we get asked
Straight answers about treatment, safety and our guarantee.
Do we have to leave the house during treatment?
No. For normal insect treatments you can stay at home. Keep children and pets off treated surfaces until they're dry. Only gas fumigation needs the sealed area to be empty until it's cleared.
Which areas of Johannesburg do you cover?
All of Johannesburg, from Sandton, Fourways and Midrand in the north to Roodepoort, Soweto and Johannesburg South, plus towns around Gauteng.
Are you registered?
Yes. Combat Pest Control is SAPCA registered and has 25 years of experience in pest control.
What if the pests come back?
Our treatments carry a 3-month guarantee. If the treated pest comes back in that time, we come back.
Can I send a photo instead of booking straight away?
Yes. WhatsApp us a photo of the pest, the droppings or the damage and we'll tell you what it is and what it takes to fix.