Empty CBD building get metro clean-up

On Wednesday, several metro workers arrived at the empty building in Fourth Avenue, CBD.

They arrived with overalls, masks, shovels and a big container was placed in the pavement for them to dump the refuse in.

It is believed after a local businessman has sent several letters of complaints to the metro, they finally start with the clean-up process.

An Addie journalist visited the site and could barely breathe from the stench coming from the empty building.

The metro team’s urban marshall Phllip Malapela says they were on Wednesday morning to clean the building.

According to Regardt Lubbe, a local lawyer, the previous company renting the property were liquidated therefore the business was closed down three years ago.

Since then the building was being demolished and vagrants have taken up residence there.

Refuse were being dumped and constant requests to the metro from the community fell on deaf ears.

Bongie Sphepho Dlabane commented on the Addie’s facebook page, that the building is a place for tsotsie, drugs and nyaopes with a lot of refuse.

Lubbe says the metro lawyers allegedly addressed the issue with the owner of the building but received no response.

In terms of building regulation law Section 12 (1) (b) stipulates if a building pose any danger to lives and to other properties the municipality can intervene without consent of the owner.

According to him the metro can claim the costs from the owner.

He says they have put pressure on the metro for almost a year and earlier this week a “clean-up order” was emailed to them.

The original order will allegedly be hand delivered to the metro offices.

It is believed a car dealership across the road from the building made the owner and offer to buy the property, but Lubbe claims the price was ridiculous.

He feels nobody wants to take responsibility for the building and the best will be to demolish the building.

No comment was received from the metro at the time of going to press.

The Addie facebook was abuzz with comments on this subject:

• Bianca Nienaber: Finally took long enough.
• Quintin Roux: What is going to happen there.
• Marion Friedenthal: Happy to see they’re wearing masks and safety gloves.
• Yvonne Dunbar: It’s about time.
• Domenique Oosthuizen: What are they going to do there when they are done leaning.
• Patti McCarogher What’s the space going to be used for once it’s cleaned up?
• Jesus Jou Hoop: An employee of a car dealership across the road from the building informed us they are going to buy the building. Demolishing would have happened within three days, still waiting.
• Marsha Klopper Horn: Thank goodness something is happening in Springs. Thanks to those helping to make the building look like something, but how long will it stay clean.
• Rosa Fernandes: Well done, it was such an eyesore.
• Scott Alexander McDonald: Brilliant, mask, gloves, but trainers and no hard hats. Ahw SA I still love you.
• Leana Van Zyl Haywood: The town is in dire need of a clean up.