ICYMI: Another raid on hijacked building in Joburg CBD, Owner speaks out

The hijacked Cape York building in Jeppe Street Johannesburg was again the subject of police scrutiny following another raid conducted on 23 June.

This comes after a similar raid in May, following reports of the abduction of 13-year-old Kitso Mothibe.

Her grief-stricken father had contacted a radio station and told of her disappearance a few weeks earlier – claiming that she was being held hostage at the building. The outcry spurred the Office of the Executive Mayor into action and a joint law enforcement team comprising the South African police and the Metro police who scoured the building in search of the then missing teen. While the search was void, it did, however, shed light on the appalling and deplorable living conditions inside Cape York.

Speaking amid the latest raid, Station Commander for the Johannesburg Central Cluster police, Brigadier Ivan Perumal said a crime-combating operation on the building was necessary.

“Cape York is responsible for a number of robberies that have been taking place within the vicinity. Our intelligence is telling us that criminals seek refuge inside this building after committing robberies,” said Perumal. “An operation was arranged from early on in the morning, during which time we managed to get four cases of dealing in drugs and one for stolen property.”

The City of Johannesburg’s Group Forensic and Investigations Services spokesperson, Lucky Sindane said onus was on the City to assist owners of abandoned buildings in taking back their properties. In addition, he said one of the City’s key priorities is an urban revitalization in the inner city. “Engagements with various stakeholders in terms of investing the inner city is an ongoing process. To the owners whose buildings have been hijacked, we ask that they give us the necessary details, and in conjunction with other stakeholders, we will assist them in winning back their buildings,” said Sindane.

In an exclusive telephonic interview with City Buzz, the new owner of Cape York (previously occupied by the Bank of Mozambique), Jamal Ibrahim, an Ethiopian businessman whose interests are in the property business, said he purchased the building legally for an estimated R9.2 million in 2014.

He added that his intention was to turn it into a profitable residential and retail space. However, he said his charge had been stalled by the ‘non-assistance’ of the South African government in the matter. “We’ve been stuck since buying the building in 2014. We need the government of South Africa to help us, but so far nothing has happened” said Ibrahim. “I have applied to the courts but have still not been able to secure the building. I bought the building with every intention of making it into something profitable. I still hope for a solution to present itself so we can finally move forward.”

Read: UPDATE: Anguish of tenants evicted from hijacked building in the CBD

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