The issue of an abandoned house, 62 Koraalboom Avenue, which has been labelled as a den of criminals, has still not been resolved to the satisfaction of surrounding residents.

The Koraalboom Avenue claims not to have details of the owner and is apparently in the process of securing a court order to demolish the house and clear the property.

Some of the neighbours have complained about the abandoned premises, saying it had become a criminal den from where people had, on several occasions, broken into their properties. This was apparently reported to the police and CoM, but nothing come of it. They also claim to have noticed lot of homeless people who had moved into the house, while criminals and drug addicts are also using it as a hiding place.

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One of the neighbours, Yvette Malan, said the house, has been empty for more than two years and during this time their complaints have fallen on deaf ears as no one seems to know the owner. “The house is now a den for criminals and drug addicts. All the electrical stuff, toilets, doors and windows have been stolen. The yard is dirty and our own home is being broken into. We do not feel safe. We are afraid that our kids could also be attacked while passing or playing next to it. We are calling on the authorities to do something about this.”

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Another neighbour, Theodore Kruger, said the municipality must demolish the building for the safety of other community members. “We have schools in the same street and learners walk past the house with criminal elements and drug addicts. The problem has been going on for years and nothing has been done by anyone, or maybe they are waiting until someone is killed before they can act. Our houses are being broken into by the people who are using the house as their hiding place and we have even found some of our stolen goods in it.

We are asking the municipality to act before it is too late.”
The CoM’s spokesperson, Joseph Ngala, said the municipal building inspector received a complaint about this property around March 2021. He said they do not know who the owner of the house is as the details on the municipal systems are incomplete. “We are still tracing the owner so that we can serve him or her with a legal notice to maintain and clean the premises. We had already issued a notice that was posted on the main gate before it was broken down. The account of the property owner is also in arrears,” he said.

Ngala added that owners are responsible for the upkeep and care of their yards. As a last resort, when they are not found, the CoM must apply for a court order to tear down the structure, which is a lengthy process. “From our side as the municipality, we are in the process of securing a court order for permission to demolish and clear the structure.”