Abandoned house irks Glenashley resident

DERELICT and abandoned houses are an increasing problem in Durban North and the city seems to have little power to deal with it. This is true for a resident of Doreen Crescent who is fighting to get the municipality to act over an abandoned house which he says is a safety and health hazard.

Andre Brand, who recently moved into the area said the vacant property next door to him, which he estimates to valued at more than a million Rand, is a haven for snakes and cockroaches.

Brand says he’s killed more than a 1 000 cockroaches and seen a number of snakes crawl out of the overgrown bushes around the house. Several windows of the house have also been broken and the Glenashley resident fears the property may soon attract vagrants.

“I don’t want any vagrants coming in and I would like to see the property being secured. Right now the grass is overgrown, there a literally thousands of cockroaches that keep coming into my yard, and now I’ve seen a number of snakes coming out of the bushes. The cost of living in the Durban North is so high and no one wants a building like this devaluing your property,” he said.

Last year, the city proposed the new ‘Problem Buildings By-Laws’ which targets abandoned, vacant, invaded and neglected properties, by imposing penalties, be it a fine and/or an eviction for errant home owners. In some instances the municipality would have the authority to ‘remedy’ the contravention and recover the costs form the owner.

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