Burnt Berea Park building now refurbished by PW
The Berea Park building that was once a haven for criminals and drug dealers is being refurbished by the department of public works, according to police.
Tshegofatso Ngobeni
The abandoned department of public works building burnt down last week to prevent criminals from occupying it, was being restored.
The building had become notorious as a hideout for criminals who raped and robbed passersby almost daily, leading to frustrated residents in the area destroying it.
Berea Park had once been home to the Berea primary school, and according to media reports the attack on the building followed after the local CPF rescued a man who had been kept captive there and tortured by a criminal gang.
Reports quoted Pretoria Central CPF official Themba Mlotshwa saying the man was recovering in hospital and a case of attempted murder was being investigated.
The building was being fixed by the department and the Tshwane metro.
Central police spokesperson captain Augustinah Selepe said the building, a protected heritage site, had become a haven for criminals and drug dealers.
“Public works was there with the Tshwane metro to repair broken lights and cut the grass,” Selepe said.
She added the police were patrolling the area frequently to ensure criminals would not return.
Mlotshwa said the building was a hotspot for criminal activities, with women raped and passersby robbed.
“The people who lived there used to rape and rob women. It got to a point that local residents burned it down,” he explained.
“We had a meeting last Thursday, with the police, public works, the municipality and other stakeholders. It was concluded that public works would fence off the building.”
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