According to the ward councillor, Mr Carlos Rebelo, people living in the area have complained for more than a year that vagrants and drug users have taken over the unused building on the premises as a shelter and hideaway. The facility has not been used for its intended purpose for more than 10 years, due to decay and vandalism.
The building has been used as a voting station and for other events since then. However, it has fallen into such a state of decay that it has been standing empty for more than two years. The building and adjacent facilities have also been badly vandalised.
Things recently got even worse when someone, presumably an undesirable occupant of the building, set it alight by accident. Although the fire was stopped before it gutted the whole building, significant damage was caused and the blaze burnt a hole in the roof.
“Some people in the neighbourhood have approached me and asked whether the municipality would allow them to demolish it at their own expense as it poses a crime risk to the area. It is probably only a matter of time before the illegal occupants burn it down completely or steal whatever is left. The residents suspect that they have broken into houses and are also afraid that they could attack the children who sometimes play on what is left of the courts,” says Rebelo. He adds, however, that the municipality does not want them to do so.
“If the municipality permits them to demolish the building, it will cost them nothing, but it will benefit the surrounding community. The municipality always says it does not have the money to fix things. If it does not even have the money to pay for guards at crucial infrastructure like electrical substations, how can they guard this building? They could rather use the little they do have to upgrade the courts, so even more children could use them,” he says.
The Herald took the concerns to the Merafong City Local Municipality on Tuesday.
“The municipality conducted a site visit last week and agreed that the relevant department should do an assessment,” the municipal spokesperson answered.
Merafong failed to commit to upgrading the security or placing guards at the facility, should it decide to keep the building, however.
