Metro creates committee to address decaying buildings
The committee aims to address buildings that have been hijacked, abandoned or that are in arrears.
A new subcommittee led by mayoral committee members has been created as part of the metro’s plans to rejuvenate the CBD.
Weekly by-law operations have been carried out in the CBD since the start of the new year to address lawlessness in the area.
The Reclaim Our City campaign forms part of the new administration’s 100-day Re A Spana campaign. One of its mandates is to address hijacked, abandoned and derelict buildings.
MMC for Corporate and Shared Services, Kholofelo Morodi, said the subcommittee’s responsibility will focus on dilapidated, hijacked and abandoned buildings, as well as those in arrears for rates and services.
“This initiative responds to the urgent need to tackle the issue of deteriorating buildings in the Pretoria CBD and explore their potential for economic and housing solutions. We are confident that this initiative will address housing needs, including low-cost housing and student accommodation, and support economic activities, including business spaces and tourism development. The mayoral executive’s 100-day Action Plan commits to implementing an economic development strategy,” Morodi said.
The mayoral subcommittee will include:
– MMC for Corporate and Shared Services (Chairperson), Councillor Kholofelo Morodi
– MMC for Community Safety, Alderman Hannes Coetzee
– MMC for Economic Development and Spatial Planning, Councillor Sarah Mabotsa
– MMC for Housing and Human Settlements, Alderman Aaron Maluleka.
Their responsibilities include drafting and submitting the terms of reference, which will be presented to the Mayoral Committee for approval in February.
Additionally, these include formally establishing a technical committee comprising relevant internal departments and external experts as needed, and to develop a comprehensive database of all buildings in the Pretoria CBD.
This database will categorise buildings by the following:
– Ownership
– Residential or commercial purpose
– Condition
– Capacity
– Any other necessary information to create a thorough property profile.
“Revitalising the Pretoria CBD and ensuring the efficient use of our property assets to meet housing and economic needs are of utmost importance. We urge the residents of Tshwane to participate by reporting any problematic buildings in their neighbourhoods,” said Morodi.
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