Squatters move into abandoned house
Property owners must be responsible for taking care of their homes.
OWNERS of abandoned and derelict properties are being urged to act responsibly and ensure the upkeep and maintenance of their properties. Ward 27 Councillor Martin Meyer made the appeal this week saying he had a list of properties within his ward which were in a sorry state.
In particular is an abandoned house in Lambert Road, Morningside, which was twice featured in the Berea Mail after residents complained that the property had become an eyesore and had been sadly neglected for years. To date, no attempts have been made to find the owner of the property and nothing has been done to clean up the property. Visiting the property this week it was evident that squatters had moved in, with washing hanging on a makeshift line outside on the veranda.
According to Meyer, the house is on the list of properties he will be taking certain city departments heads to see.
“It is hard to act on vagrants as the property owner has to lay a complaint before the SAPS can act. I want to encourage property owners to be responsible and take care of their properties so this type of thing doesn’t happen,” he said.
