Pest control in South Hills

Pest control in South Hills splits into two kinds of job. In blocks of flats it's mostly German cockroaches, bed bugs and mice; in family homes it's rats, fleas, ants and termites. We inspect, identify the pest and how it's spreading, and treat the source, working with body corporates and landlords where a building needs treating as a whole.

Getting to know South Hills

South Hills is a residential suburb in the south-east of the southern suburbs, near Rosettenville, Tulisa Park and Moffat View. It has a mix of freestanding houses with gardens and blocks of flats and complexes, many of them several decades old. Plenty of residents rent, and buildings vary from well-managed to tired. That mix is why the pest problems here look so different depending on which door you knock on.

In the flats

German cockroaches

Blocks of flats share plumbing stacks, service ducts and refuse chutes or rooms, which is exactly how German cockroaches spread from one kitchen to the next. You'll see them at night around the sink, stove and fridge, and find their small dark droppings in cupboard corners. Gel bait in hinges, cracks and appliance housings is the treatment that works. Treating every unit, or at least every unit on the same plumbing stack, gives a result that lasts.

Bed bugs

Bed bugs move in with furniture, mattresses and luggage, and in flats they can travel through wall voids to the neighbouring unit. Bites in lines, blood spots on sheets and dark specks along mattress seams are the signs. Treatment covers the bed, frame, headboard and nearby furniture, and a follow-up a couple of weeks later catches the next hatch.

Mice

Mice use the gaps around pipes and cables to move between floors. Small droppings in the kitchen drawer or behind the stove are the giveaway. Stations and traps placed close to activity, plus sealing pipe gaps, clear them.

In the houses

Rats

Older homes with trees close to the roof, outside rooms and garages see roof rats in ceilings and brown rats around compost heaps, dog food and rubbish areas. We bait outside in lockable stations and trap in roofs.

Fleas

Dogs in the yard mean fleas, especially in summer. They live in the soil and shady spots where pets lie, and in bedding and carpets indoors. Treat the house, garden and pets in the same week. Our flea control in Johannesburg South covers this.

Ants

Ant trails into kitchens increase before summer storms. Baiting reaches the nest and ends the trail.

Termites

Subterranean termites go for timber door frames, built-in cupboards, skirting and roof timbers, and harvester termites thin out lawns in winter. Mud tubes on walls are the clearest sign. See termite control across Johannesburg for how we treat both, with a 5-year guarantee and a treatment certificate on termite work.

For body corporates and landlords

If tenants keep reporting cockroaches or bed bugs, a one-unit-at-a-time response will go round in circles. We can treat a whole block in a planned visit, give residents a simple preparation sheet beforehand, and set up regular follow-up treatments of common areas, refuse rooms and ducts with a written record of each visit.

Our process

We start by inspecting, asking residents where they've seen activity, and checking the paths pests use between units or into the house. Then we treat with baits, gels, stations or barrier sprays, depending on the pest. Treatments are odourless and won't stain. You don't need to move out; keep children and pets off treated surfaces until they're dry.

What people often get wrong

Spraying insect killer around the flat every few days. It doesn't reach cockroaches inside walls, and the residue can make gel bait less attractive to them, so the professional treatment works more slowly. Stop spraying a few days before we come.

A South Hills tip

If you live in a flat, fill the gap around the pipes under your kitchen sink with a bit of filler or sealant. It's one of the main highways for cockroaches and mice between units, and it costs almost nothing to close.

What it costs and why

For a single flat, the cost depends mainly on the pest: a cockroach treatment is a modest job, bed bugs take more time and a follow-up. For a whole block, it's priced on the number of units and the common areas. For a house, it depends on the size of the property, the pest and whether follow-up visits are needed; termite work depends on the perimeter and timber involved. The guide price on this page and our Johannesburg price guide show where each starts.

South Hills is one of the suburbs on our pest control in Johannesburg South page, and close-by Rosettenville has a page of its own.

Combat Pest Control is owned and operated by Jason van Heerden, who has been treating homes and buildings for 25 years. We're SAPCA registered and hold Department of Agriculture registration under Act 36. Expect service within 24 hours, plus a 3-month guarantee on general treatments. Phone 084 200 2700, or WhatsApp us a photo of what you've found.