Marlboro South slumlord exposed
ALEXANDRA - Home owners in Marlboro South have exposed a slumlord's activities which they say threatens the value of their properties.
Homeowners in Marlboro South have exposed a slumlord’s activities which they say lowers the value of their properties.
More than 50 shacks occupy most of the space at 51 Hollywood Crescent owned by a man who only called himself Jack. Tenants on the property who declined to be identified, said they are changed between R300 and R500 for rent every month. Some of them have been squatting at the house for years and have never been issued receipts for their payments.
On 26 March, Metro police confirmed receiving complaints from neighbouring residents concerned about the potential devaluation of their properties.
According to Superintendent Ignus Jona, Jack was wishy-washy about the situation.
“He says the rents are his only source of income but at same time he [said he] had tried but failed on several occasions to evict the tenants,” said Jona.
Jack couldn’t adequately explain how the first tenants came to occupy his property, but said that many of them ran away at month-end to avoid paying rent but returned to the shacks weeks later. The tenants disputed his statement, claiming that he engaged thugs who enforced rent payment from them and confiscated properties of those who failed to pay on time.
Jona said they had asked Jack a while back to submit an affidavit with his concerns so the police and local authorities could take appropriate action, but he had not done so.
Also, Jona expressed concern about the illegal electricity connections from a nearby substation to the shacks. “The tenants do this with Jack’s knowledge and once Eskom has disconnected the illegal wires the tenants reconnect them, [also] with his knowledge,” Jona said.
“The wires run unprotected on the ground and above the shacks posing a danger from naked and unregulated voltage if stepped on and also possible fires. Eskom loses revenue every day from this electricity theft by tenants for their lighting, appliances and a panel beating business which we stopped recently.”
Details: Superintendent Ignus Jona 083 399 2835.
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