Two houses in Hendrik Boom street that have been vacant for more than a year are causing a major concern for residents. They fear the abandoned houses could be used by criminals and the homeless.
The homes have tattered walls and windows and the lawns could be mistaken for the amazon jungle.
One of the houses belongs to the state while the owners of the second home passed away and is now under private ownership.
Sipho Khanyi, a resident said there has been no suspicious activity taking place in the abandoned homes but they are concerned that criminals might start to use the them.
“The houses have been empty for a while which is a concern for us in the neighbourhood because anything could be happening inside the homes that could pose a danger to us,” he said.
Western Suburbs Roodepoort Neighbourhood Watch (WSRNW) chairperson Matthys van Rensburg said they are aware of the abandoned houses but so far no criminal activity has taken root.
“We patrol the area and keep an eye on the abandoned homes. So far, there has been no reports of criminals taking over the homes,” he said.
Ward 71 councillor Gert Niemand said although he is aware of the two houses, there is nothing his office can do about the matter except forward resident’s complaints to the relevant authorities.
“Just last week I had a call about these abandoned houses and I reported it to the City of Joburg. There is nothing we can do besides wait for our complaints to be processed, which could take months. The main concern of residents are that criminals might take chances and conduct illegal practices,” he said.
