Cape Town's worst problem buildings remain occupied

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09-07-2014
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Three of Cape Town's worst problem buildings, one converted to an illegal dumping site, remain occupied.

In a bid to have the dilapidated properties repaired, the city for the first time will take legal action against errant owners, mayoral committee member for safety and security JP Smith said yesterday.

The three properties are in Parow, Langa and Belhar.

The house in Parow, which is being rented by nine foreign men, has a broken front gate and is strewn with dirt.

One of the tenants, Weldy Ngumbe from Cameroon, said they had been renting the house since 2008.

'We pay the owner of this house and that's it. We don't have anything to do with the court cases. We pay our rent into an account and we live here. That's it,' Ngumbe said.

The nine tenants claimed they pay R2 000 a month for living in the Bedford Street house.

Another tenant Eric Nkemkang from Uganda said they had been looking for the owner since they were notified the property had been declared a problem building.

'We are all looking for this man. We simply pay the money into his account, sometimes his daughter comes around here to look at the house but then she leaves again,' he said.

In Langa, the unfinished Ulwazi Youth Centre was being used as a dumping site.

However local entrepreneur Thulani Ngqulwana started a car wash on what used to be the parking lot of the now-rotten building.

The 25-year-old man took six unemployed youths in the area and started the business four years ago.

The dividends are split between the six.

'If the building has to be destroyed I will be out of business. The place has been vacant for years and I decided to use it for a good purpose,' he said.

'I feel however this place is a dump. It is also a place where some people smoke and drink. Whatever happens (to the building) I hope I would be able to continue my business and that it would benefit the community.'

The decaying house in Disa Street, Belhar was unoccupied.

Smith said the three properties were declared problem buildings more than a year ago but owners had ignored all compliance notices.