Landlord taken to task after problem building inspection
Many contraventions as well as unsafe living conditions were noted at an oversight inspection of the Willowvale Hotel.
AN oversight inspection at the Willowvale Hotel in Umbilo, organised by councillor Nicole Graham who was accompanied by various municipal officials was carried out at the venue this morning, Friday, 4 March. The inspection follows numerous complaints about the site.
Berea Mail was alerted to the conditions at the hotel after a woman, who asked not to be named, contacted the paper and complained that the building had no wather, was filthy and rat-infested. “We are living here as we have nowhere else to go, and are being charged rent to live under these conditions,” she said.
Graham, Metro Police, licensing inspectors, the Health and Fire Departments as well as representatives from the CPF inspected conditions at the building this morning.
Graham said: “I was truly appalled by the awful conditions within this building, and the numerous contraventions being committed. It is unthinkable that people have been left to live in these slum conditions.”
Various contraventions were noted, including expired fire extinguishers, illegal water and electrical connections, and filthy and unsafe living conditions.
A Metro Police officer speaking to Berea Mail said the building should be added onto the municipality’s list of problem buildings.
Addressing officials, the landlord who is allegedly leasing the property, said he had been trying to get the people living on the property out because there was an issue with a blocked sewer. He said most of the residents in the building had left. Despite this, it was noted that a sign at the base of the stairs in the building was calling for rent to be paid, and if tenants defaulted, they would be evicted. During the visit, a resident told Graham that only the people living in the middle of the building had been evicted because of the burst pipe in the building.
After an illegal water connection was noted, one of the residents was asked to show an official where she was getting her water from. He was shown to a room on the top floor which was locked, where a tap flowed continually. She said all the tenants got their water from this tap.
On inspecting other buildings on the property, tenants told officials they were paying R1 000 for rooms which were only big enough to hold a bed, and that they had electricity and water. A resident approached a Metro officer and Berea Mail, to ask what was happening, and said he had paid his rent for the month. He said he was from the Congo and had nowhere else to stay.
Notices and summons were issued by various departments for licensing issues such as operating without a residential permit, hazardous fire conditions and broken equipment and health contraventions, and strong warnings were issued to the operator.
“There are dangerous electrical cables and limited water and sewerage connections. All departments and officials will continue to monitor this matter and ensure that it is resolved. I would like to thank them all for the effort that was put into this operation,” said Graham.
As officials were writing up notices, the operator tore down the sign at the base of the stairs, and instructed his supervisor to get the people out of the building.
The resident who had spoken to Berea Mail before the inspection, said residents had been told after officials left that they had to vacate the premises today, however they had paid their rent for the month. Many residents have children and have nowhere else to go.
Graham said she would contact Metro Police regarding this, as residents should be given notice.
