AN Assagay resident is at his wits’ end over an abandoned house that has become a thorn in the neighbourhood.
According to Reynhardt van Rooyen, the house situated in Assagay Road has been stranded for more than 10 years.
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Van Rooyen said the house has been empty and claimed that the criminals are using it to hide.
“There have been increase in house breakings and recently, items used to break into houses were found at the premises after a suspect was spotted wandering around.” What also worries van Rooyen is the negative effect on the value of their houses.
“There are overgrown bushes, this house had a gate which was recently stolen,” he said.
eThekwini Municipality’s spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela responds:
“The respective property is a private property, therefore 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 therefore, does not have the power to act in the absence of an official letter, preferably endorsed by the court of law asking for the City to intervene.
The complaints generally reported to the municipality by members of the public with regards to abandoned properties are as follows: Dirty conditions, overgrown yard, rodents, building in state of disrepair, theft of water and electricity, offensive smell due to urine and human waste deposit, crime in the neighbourhood, sale of alcohol and drugs, unsightly building, and public disturbance.
“Closing down a building is a last resort once all legal avenues have been exhausted,” said Mayisela.
Mayisela added from an economic and City regeneration point of view, buildings must contribute to the rates base of the City.
“It is important to understand that each derelict building poses its own set of unique problems therefore different strategies are applied to address each case. Some derelict buildings are owned by people who live abroad, some are leased or sub-let to a number of tenants, some have been ‘hijacked’ and some are owned by people who are deceased. Therefore, the City cannot apply a blanket approach in dealing with some of these complex cases.
“The municipality appeals to property owners to ensure that their properties are well maintained as derelict buildings impact negatively on the surrounding neighbourhood.”
Residents can also report any illegal activity to the SAPS and Metro Police.
The 24-hour number that they can contact is 031 361 0000 (Emergency Services, Metro Police, Fire and Disaster Management).
Caxton Local Media Covid-19 reporting
