Noisy weekend for residents as group occupies vacant Morningside building
A resident said a group of people were dropped at a property in 7th Avenue, which had been vacant for some time, on 9 January.
MORNINGSIDE residents have been left puzzled how a group of people were able to occupy a vacant building in 7th Avenue, Morningside between 9 and 15 January and disappear as suddenly as they appeared.
Residents in neighbouring properties reported that the large group were dropped off at the property on the night of 9 January and occupied the building until Tuesday, 15 January, when they appeared to have vacated the premises, leaving a pile of rubbish in their wake.
One of the residents who alerted ward councillor Martin Meyer to what was happening, and asked not to be named, said the group was dropped off at the property which had stood vacant for some time. The next morning they left the property only to return at around 8pm that night.
“The group was very noisy, toyi-toying and singing into the night. A number of residents contacted Metro Police to report the noise disturbance,” she said.
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Meyer said although the premises were now vacant, the situation was suspicious. He said he had visited the property himself.
“The people were not there during the day and arrived at 8pm and left at 7am. The noise and other disturbances was shocking and the weekend was a nightmare for residents. There was public drinking, chanting and noise was heard as far as Lambert Road. They had no furniture with them, but on the second night were seen carrying in mattresses. There appeared to be more people than rooms and some were seen sleeping in the corridors. The building has no electricity or running water and the rubbish left at the property is shocking. It will not be collected by DSW as it is behind a closed gate,” he said.
Meyer thanked Berea SAPS for attending the premises on Sunday after complaints were lodged.
“After contacting Land Use Management, the Building Inspectorate and the Health Department, I still have had no feedback from officials on this matter. I am questioning whether the building was occupied without the permission of the owner, or whether the owner had given permission for them to be there, and also, why this building has been allowed to stand vacant. I contacted the building inspectorate to get details of the owner but have had no response,” he said, adding that he had escalated the matter to the City Manager’s office.
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