Residents in Pretoria North are furious about the poor state of empty property stands, which they believe are attracting vagrants to residential areas.
One such property is on the corner of Ben Viljoen and Generaal de Wet streets and draws constant complaints from residents fearing for their health and safety.
“This place is looking more and more like a dumpsite,” said one of the residents Anli Oosthuizen.
“Rats and diseases spreading from this property are not even our main concern. Illegal squatters threatening our safety and stealing from us – that is the issue.”
Areola Pellrou, who resides next to the empty stand, said her yard was a regular target for thieves.
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“They have stolen chairs and furniture from my property,” said Pellrou.
“Even though my house is right across the police station, the thieves never get caught. They simply disappear into the bushes on this empty stand next to my house.”
Oosthuizen said her nerves were shot due to the constant threat that vagrants may break into her home.
“I was the victim of a robbery a few months ago while I was on vacation. Now I have to continue living in fear – in my own home,” she said.
“Thieves have already stolen all the tools from our garden shed, even the wheels of a motorbike. Next, they might try to break into my house.”
Oosthuizen said the empty, unkempt stand was a threat to all residents nearby.
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She said the property has not been cleaned in months. Thick overgrowth and bushes hide the earth not covered in rubble and a broken down structure, that was once a house, hides a pile of waste.
On Thursday, ward councillor Yolanda Duvenage visited the scene to access the situation.
“We have a big problem with illegal squatters moving into empty homes and stands in Pretoria North,” she said.
“This specific property seemingly belongs to a private owner.”
Duvenage said property owners were held accountable for the state of their properties.
“We cannot force people to put a proper fence around their property to keep vagrants out, but we can – by law – force people to clean their properties to avoid becoming a health and safety hazard to other residents.”
Duvenage said the property owner will be served with a notice to clean the stand.
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“Should the owner fail to do so, the metro can step in to clean the stand and bill the owner.”
Oosthuizen said, after two weeks arguing with a property agent who apparently sold the stand to another private owner, people arrived to “guard” the empty stand.
Speaking to one of the supposed security guards, Rekord was told that construction was to start soon.
Oosthuizen said she was earlier informed that the new owner wanted to build four-storey flats on the empty stand.
“We do want the stand to be cleaned, but building a block of flats here would be the worst solution.”
Duvenage said in order for development, the area’s “bulk” infrastructure would need to be upgraded.
“Electricity, water and sewerage systems would need to be upgraded. We are already experiencing troubles with sewerage leaks in the area and putting more strain on the fragile infrastructure would end in disaster,” she said.
“All the residents in the vicinity would also need to approve of such plans to build such a large structure.”
After Duvenage made further enquiries, she finally received contact details of the supposed owner of the stand. She called the man, only known as Alfred, but he denied being the owner of the property before ending the call.
Attempts to contact him again have been unsuccessful.
Tshwane metro had not responded at the time of going to print.
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