Further delays for Berario Scout Hall demolition as City Power awaits formal application
Demolition of the long-abandoned Berario Scout Hall is currently stalled by delayed utility disconnections, leaving frustrated residents waiting for safety concerns to be addressed.
The long-abandoned Berario Scout Hall remains standing as residents wait for outstanding electricity and water disconnections to be completed before the planned 2026 demolition can proceed.
The Johannesburg Property Company (JPC), which owns the site, said the heritage process has been followed, but the remaining utility infrastructure must first be removed. City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena said JPC approached the utility earlier in July regarding the electricity supply. “At the time, City Power advised that JPC is required to submit a formal application for the removal of the electricity supply.”
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A JPC representative contacted City Power again on July 30, when the utility reiterated the requirement and provided the correct application forms. Mangena said the City of Johannesburg was also engaged to assist with the process. He said City Power would proceed with the removal once the application had been submitted, adding that the utility could not disconnect the supply without the required documentation.
Johannesburg Water is also required to complete its disconnection before the demolition can take place.
For residents, the utility process is the latest development in a long-running dispute over what should happen to the neglected property. Community Cleaners representative Andre Swanepoel said residents began raising concerns about the hall while the organisation was working around the Berario Recreation Centre. “Residents regularly approached us about the abandoned scout hall and the safety concerns it created.”
He said the building had become associated with vandalism and alleged illegal activity, while residents were concerned about children gaining access to the unsafe structure. The community subsequently supported demolition as a way of removing the safety risk and opening the site for possible new use.
Swanepoel said residents had struggled to obtain regular updates during the process. He said the community now wants the property secured and ultimately redeveloped into a facility that benefits residents.
While losing the former scout hall is unfortunate, Swanepoel said leaving the deteriorating structure in place was no longer viable. A local company has also offered to demolish the building at no cost to the city, according to Swanepoel. “This means there would be no demolition cost or financial risk to the city. All that is required is the necessary approval to proceed.”
He believes accepting the offer could shorten the process and allow the site to be secured sooner.
Residents are now waiting for the outstanding utility work and approvals to be completed, with Swanepoel saying the community wants to see the long-delayed project move from promises to action.
JW acknowledged the publication’s media query on August 3 regarding their process for the meter removals. Their response will be updated once received.
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