Property owners warned after clean-up on vacant stand opposite Montecasino
FOURWAYS – Future City Fourways member urges owners of polluted vacant spaces to clean up their act, failing which further action will be taken, incurring costs for the owners' account.
With some parts of Fourways being filled with litter and overrun by displaced people, especially the vacant space at the corner of William Nicol Drive and Witkoppen Road opposite Montecasino, Ward 93 councillor Candice James, the City of Joburg and Future City Fourways have taken it upon themselves to tackle the problem.
“For years, the plot between Fourways Crossing and Fourways Value Mart at the corner of William Nicol Drive and Witkoppen Road has stood empty and has, over time, become overrun with [homeless people], dumping, overgrowth and all manner of pollution,” Future City Fourways board member Jean Berdou said.
He added that the property, which is made up of plots 400, 401, 75 and 76, was a health and safety hazard and an eyesore.
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As a result, the locals, Montecasino, Urban Genesis, Future City Fourways and the police conducted various clean-ups recently. “Huge amounts of community resources have been put into addressing the problem. However, the time has come, and indeed it is long overdue, for the owners to take responsibility for their properties,” stated Berdou.
The clean-ups were spearheaded by James, with support from Future City Fourways.
In early December, the City’s health inspectors issued the owners with a clean-up notice. Berdou explained, “This was ignored, and a second health inspection took place on 16 January. A further 30-day clean-up notice was issued.
“If this is ignored as well, the City Council has the right to appoint a contractor and to clear the property and all verges outside the property and debit the rates account of the owners for these costs.”
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He urged the property owners to clear the property immediately. “Failing which, suitable action will be taken and [will] result in major costs for the owners. Our community cannot and will not accept persons abrogating their responsibilities to others and to allow dereliction, pollution, crime and health challenges to simply fester away and grow because they could not be bothered about others and ignore council warnings.”
The identity of the property owners is apparently known to Future City Fourways and the City of Joburg.
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