There is life in abandoned Brink Street house
Significant developments have been made to the state of the property
ERMELO – In a positive turn of events, the situation of the seemingly abandoned house on Brink Street, which had been a cause for concern due to its deteriorating condition and its attracting vandals and homeless people, has shown signs of improvement.
Following Highvelder’s previous article last November, significant developments have been made to the state of the property.
During a recent visit to the house, the newspaper noticed a man actively clearing out debris and mowing the overgrown yard. Upon further enquiry, he identified himself as Emmanuel Nkosi, and said he was responsible for the clean-up.
Initially cautious due to the previous coverage of the property, Nkosi eventually opened up and shared insights into the current state of the house.
Contrary to the assumption that the house was abandoned, he said the property is now being occupied.
Acknowledging the concerns raised in the paper’s previous article, Nkosi expressed the challenges they faced with vandals and the subsequent impact on the property’s condition.
He assured the paper that clean-up and refurbishment efforts are under way to restore the house.
Previous reporting
In 2020, Highvelder initially reported on the Department of Justice allegedly renting an old state house at 28 Smuts Street from the Department of Public Works.
The dilapidated building is still occupied by homeless individuals.
Highvelder experienced first-hand the dire conditions in which they live.
At the time, between nine and 12 people inhabited the building, their ages ranging from 24 to 60.
Johannes Kuhlase (60) revealed at the time that they had been living there for almost nine years.
See all the photos: HERE
He supposedly had lived in the old house the longest, and as a result, the largest room was assigned to him.
Dusty wooden floors creak underfoot, the walls bear years of soot from fires, windows are broken, ceilings are dilapidated, debris fills the house and yard, and everything that could indicate this was once a home has been stripped away.
Rooms are partitioned with curtains draped from the rafters, as the doors have also been dismantled. The property lacks access to electricity and water, and the housemates take it in turns carrying water to the premises.
The backyard resembles a dumping ground, but Kuhlase attributed the rubbish in the yard to the previous occupants.
The occupants said they are seeking employment, but that jobs are scarce. In the evenings, they take it in turns providing and cooking food.
Recent visit to abandoned Smuts Street house
Upon visiting the building again on November 16, one of the occupants, Fana Malaza (52), informed Highvelder that there were now only five people occupying the abandoned building.
Malaza has been staying at the house for about a year. The house was also the site of a murder a year or so ago, after an altercation between two occupants.
Malaza stated it was over a room in the house, but Nomusa Mnisi (29), a female occupant, said the victim, whom she referred to as ‘Small’, and the person who stabbed him were quarreling over beer.
Mnisi, originally from Chrissiesmeer, relocated to Ermelo in search of employment opportunities.
One of her parents died in 2016 and the other in 2018. For the past eight months, she has been recycling bottles and cans, earning about R80 a day.
Mnisi expressed concerns about the safety of staying in the house, citing frequent theft incidents.
“My clothes and food have been stolen on many occasions while I’m out collecting recyclable items.”
She also shared details about her daughter, who resides with her father, the man with whom Mnisi had the child.
He is also unemployed and is cared for by his sister. Mnisi expressed a desire to see her daughter more frequently, but is only able to visit every three months.
Most of the occupants face the same challenge of unemployment and resort to collecting scrap and selling it at scrapyards for a daily wage.
Read the complete article in Highvelder.
