VANDERBIJLPARK – They used to be homes to dozens of middle-class families working and schooling in the civic center, traveling by foot.
But since they were burnt months ago for different crime-related reasons, the famous Becquerel and Marthinus Pretorius flats have since been neglected.
There are no signs of owners planning to revamp or rebuild them because they are said to be hijacked buildings.
Now turned to be a haven for criminals, the dilapidated flats are inhabited by sex workers, homeless people, and drug addicts.
The two flats have turned into a swampy mess with overgrowing plantations, flanked with human waste and the stench of urine.
At Becquerel, the steel door and window frames are dug out by recyclers.
And bricks from the top floor are stolen, leaving the walls half to the bottom of the escaped bottom flow.
Only steel frames are taken in Marthinus, but the structure remains strong to house alleged drug users.
Sedibeng Ster visited the two buildings meters away from Vanderbijlpark town and each other.
Nthabiseng Motloung told the paper how she fears for her life, living in the saved portion of Becquerel.
“I have lived here for almost my entire life. This place was not a good place, but before the fire, we survived. Now after the incident, drug users are stripping it bare, stealing all the steel. Now homeless people sleep behind these walls, despite the building having a roof. We tried to contact people who claim to own this building, but our complaints fall on deaf ears,” she said.
Thabiso Radebe, a resident at Marthinus Pretorius said “Each day, we see nyaope people coming to the building to take windows and door frames. The burning of the building has left this place in shambles. Our safety is no longer guaranteed because druggies stay here, homeless people, and sometimes ladies of the night render their services in the burnt flats”.
