She tells of how she, members of her family and a group of policemen encountered dark passages, haggard circumstances and what they thought was a souped-up junkie.

Deborah Longman’s cellphone was stolen at Shoprite in SADC Street last week. She asked store management to have a look at the security cameras and was able to spot two youths stealing her phone shortly after she entered the business. A security guard recognised the boys as two regulars who often hang out at the SADC Street entrance to Shoprite. He asked for her cellphone number and promised to let her know as soon as he was able to trace the boys.

On Friday, Mrs Longman got a phone call from Shoprite security informing her that two suspects have been caught. When questioned, the boys spilled the beans and led Mrs Longman to the Geen & Richards building where they said they sold the cellphone to a Nigerian man for drug money.

Mrs Longman went to the police for assistance. Six uniformed policemen and a plain clothed detective accompanied her to the flats in search of her phone.

What Mrs Longman encountered shocked her to the core.

“That building is in an extremely dangerous state. There are electric wires hanging out, the steps look like they might collapse at any time and the characters that stay there are very dodgy.”

In one of the rooms they discovered a naked woman lying on the floor. Witnesses say that she came across as dazed and confused.

“I was shocked to find out that such a place existed here in Middelburg. When the police entered, they just stood there and watched in silence. It is a tragedy waiting to happen,” Mrs Longman said.

The person responsible for the occupants of the Geen & Richards flats say that a part of the building is currently under construction.

“I am replacing the existing walls with brick walls and transforming part of the building into offices.”

Deon Strydom says that no Nigerians are renting rooms from him. He also says that unless someone took the woman for medical tests to determine whether she was on drugs, it is only an assumption.

“It is in their culture to sleep on the floor. I have encountered it many times. As for being naked, no one think it strange if you are naked in your house, this is their homes, what happens behind closed doors have got nothing to do with anyone.”

He says that it is a shame that people are looking down and picking on people that are too poor to afford their own homes. During an interview with one of the occupants, she said that she pays R3 300 for a room with a toilet, hardly cheap accommodation.

Mr Strydom said that he has appointed a 24hour security guard to prevent criminals from entering the building. He also attempted to prevent the mobile clinic from stopping at the entrance to the flats.

“By handing out free condoms and doing whatever tests they do, they are encouraging prostitution. But they refuse to stop parking there.”

Mr Strydom says that “it hurts him deeply” that people spread rumours without thinking about the damage they cause. He says that most of the stigma that clings to the Geen & Richards flats are because of untrue rumours.