EDITOR – Arising out of the article in the Berea Mail last week, highlighting abandoned and derelict buildings on the Berea, it is interesting to note that the buildings featured are what we refer to as ‘Trojan Houses’ and we have written many times in your newspaper and in others, about the problems they pose.
We believe that the City’s response in dealing with them is inadequate and unacceptable. To cry ‘lack of funding’ is disingenuous to say the least. We believe that instead of holding parties and festivals that cost the ratepayer millions, the Mayor should rather allocate more resources to sorting out problem buildings and their errant owners.
ALSO READ: Resources needed to deal with mushrooming problem buildings
In 2015, Save Our Berea sent a letter to Berea Mail appealing to its readers to stand up and show the municipality that enough is enough. Ratepayers pay the salaries of the councillors and the City officials and they deserve to get better service for their money. There is a cavalier approach by our civil servants as a direct result of cadre deployment on party political lines rather than competency. Officials need to get the message that they answer to the ratepayer, as they should in a constitutional democracy, and not to their party political masters.
One of the houses you featured is listed in Professor Brian Kearney’s book on important buildings in Durban. Residents have been raising concerns about the neglected state of this property going back two years. We now learn that the 90 people living there have finally been removed. But it’s taken over two years for the City to take action. What took so long? We say the City spokesperson Tozi Mthethwa got it wrong when she claimed recently that “the onus lies with the property owner to protect their property or surrender it to council should they find it difficult to maintain and/or protect. The municipality doesn’t have the power to act in the absence of an official letter, preferably endorsed by a court, asking the city to intervene.”
ALSO READ: Put pressure on errant home owners, says Save Our Berea
Listed houses are legally protected by heritage body Amafa and the City is tasked by law to enforce Amafa’s rules. Therefore it is the city’s responsibility to act expediently against owners who allow their properties to be ‘demolished by neglect’. All of the buildings featured in your article are ‘Trojan Houses’ and we have written time and time again about how they impact negatively on property values and contribute to crime in the area.
Worthy of mention are three more listed properties in Cowey Road where ‘demolition by neglect’ is ongoing, causing misery for the surrounding residents who have complained numerous times to the city about the parlous state of affairs, yet nothing has been done. The beautiful heritage house at 560 Currie Road is another valuable Berea asset that is under threat. In this case residents have been pro-active and are working closely with Amafa and the city heritage architect to save the house. The good news is they are winning.
We believe herein lies the answer. Keep up the pressure. Document the property. Work with your councillor. Support civic organisations like Save Our Berea and above all, never give up.
Kevin Dunkley
Cheryl Johnson
Save Our Berea
