THE overgrown grounds on a property in Prospect Road Umbilo has a neighbouring resident calling for the grounds to be properly maintained.
According to Isabella Whittaker, the property in question has been a problem for many years. She said her son had even tried cutting back the overgrowth at the rear of the property himself on a number of occasions, but was unable to keep up with the ever-spreading bush.
“There seem to be people living in the house, which is falling apart and the garden is totally overgrown. I don't know how anyone can live in the house. You can't even get out the back door as the garden is so overgrown. I have tried to find the owner of the house to have something done, but have had no joy. I have also tried phoning the municipality and have heard that they are in charge of maintaining the next door property, but nothing has been done for a long time. It is a real eyesore,” she said.
Whittaker said she had also encountered a problem with mosquitoes which she believes are breeding in the overgrown bush.
“I have been bitten from head to toe! The municipality sent someone to spray the gutters six weeks ago,” she said, adding that she had also called out people to put down rat poison as snakes and rats had also become a problem..
Responding to requests for comment, eThekwini Head of Communications, Tozi Mthethwa, said the matter had been investigated by city officials.
“The City has established that the property is on private land. The onus lies with the landowner to protect his or her property or surrender it to Council should they find it difficult to maintain and protect. The Municipality therefore, does not have the power to act in the absence of an official letter, preferably endorsed by the court of law asking for the City to intervene.”
She said if the grass on the property was being cut, it was probably being done by the owner.
“If the landowner requires the grass to be cut by Council, they have to complete the necessary forms and the cost for cutting the grass will be offset against the owner’s rates. However, the Municipality does make every attempt to track down the owner whether they are in the country or not. Some owners abandon their buildings and emigrate. We also have cases of deceased estates which take much longer to resolve,” she said.
“The Municipality appeals to property owners to ensure that their properties are well maintained as derelict buildings impact negatively on the surrounding neighbourhood,” she said.
