Bloemfontein police’s ‘house of shame’

By Citizen Reporter

Bloemfontein residents are fuming over a house on Jock Meiring Street in Parkwes that apparently belongs to the police, but is now being used by alleged squatters, reports Bloemfontein Courant.

To make matters worse, thousands of rands were allegedly spent recently to renovate the house, but it is now left to deteriorate.

“How much tax money must still be used and wasted regarding the renovations of government property?” asked a resident who spoke to Bloemfonteing Courant on condition of anonymity.

“How is it possible that a house that was given to the police to utilise, was not being looked after? This house could possibly be used for illegal activities. How do the police want to fight crime if their own property are being misused and resided in illegally?” said the resident.

According to another source, the house, situated next to Eunice Girls’ School, belonged to the department of public works, but was transferred for use by the South African Police Services in Bloemfontein.

On arrival at the house, Bloemfontein Courant found that the garden was dirty, and there was rubbish littering the property. It is clear that it has not been looked after properly. Windows facing the street have been completely damaged, apparently by a fire that was made in the house, which caused the windows to burst. During Bloemfontein Courant’s visit, there were three people in the house.

Two of the three “residents” tried to hide from the camera, while the third one told Bloemfontein Courant that he does not really live there, but just looks after the belongings of his friend while the latter is studying at the University of the Free State. He could, however, not identify the “real squatters”.

When Bloemfontein Courant’s reporter tried to enter the house, she was refused entry by the alleged squatters. When asked what has been done by the police regarding their “squatting” in the house, they said that the police had simply told them to get out of the house, but have done nothing further about the matter.

Several attempts have been made to get comments from media liaison officers of both the SAPS and the department of public works, but by the time of going to press Bloemfontein Courant was still waiting for a response.

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