Centurion owner warned to keep and maintain her property

The Tshwane metro this week called on all Centurion residents not to neglect their properties and to ensure they keep their properties clean.

This comes after complaints were received by a local ward councillor about an abandoned property that belongs to a Wierda Park resident in Susan Street.

“Various complaints were received from fellow community members because the property has been merely neglected and abandoned by the owner,” said Marika Kruger-Muller, DA councillor of ward 70.

“When the metro managed to get hold of the owner she was served with a contravention notice by an inspector from the Tshwane department of city planning at the end of January.”

According to Kruger-Muller, the metro placed the owner on terms and she had to get rid of the overgrown vegetation and cut the grass within a week, which she complied to.

“The owner indicated that she was going to start with renovations in March and would ‘make a plan with the house’.”

Kruger-Muller said the owner was informed that the metro would monitor the property closely.

“Not only is the property an eyesore in the community, but community members are especially concerned about unwanted criminal elements that it attracts.

“The house is being stripped and broken down in certain places. Homeless people seem to gather there overnight and the yard is often strewn with empty beer bottles.

“The house has been looted to a point that almost nothing is left but a shell of what the property used to be.”

Kruger-Muller said that it also caused a health risk due to unhygienic practices and there were also complaints about rodents at the property. Health issues are always major as these vagrants live in a very unhealthy environment and under unhealthy circumstances.

“Situations like these always create an issue with unwanted pests, such as snakes and rats for neighbours and the community.”

She said when grass does get cut, and people leave their garden refuse, it will also soon start to give off a foul smell, which community members will complain about.

“There are by-laws that need to be considered,” she said, “and the metro could issue fines if a property was not maintained.”

She said, unfortunately, vagrants often also start begging in the area for food, money and work.

Another issue that often needs to be considered was the illegal consumption of water and electricity connections when vagrants start living at abandoned properties.

“And before we know, people usually also start dumping rubbish illegally at abandoned properties.”

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Rekord approached the owner; however, she did not want to comment.

According to Tshwane metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo, its Building Control Section received a complaint from a councillor.

“An investigation was conducted and indeed the property has been abandoned.”

Residents can report similar complaints to: CEHonestop@Tshwane.gov.za.

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