POLOKWANE – Residents are worried about the numerous abandoned and vacant houses and buildings throughout the city have become a haven for criminals.
This fact was highlighted during the yearly Community Policing Forum (CPF) meeting at the Polokwane Police Station on Tuesday evening.
The areas have become the police’s problem – they attract crime, disorder and squatters
According to Polokwane police spokesperson, WO Lesiba Ramoshaba, these properties make policing difficult, as criminals sometimes use them as hideouts, lookout points or places to store stolen goods.
“The scenario is always the same. It starts with the house standing vacant for a while with overgrown grass and plants.
“Criminals force entry into the property and steal anything that can be sold. These normally include light fittings, taps, electrical wires and plugs,” Ramoshaba said.
He added there are at least 10 vacant houses in the city, the owners of which are ignoring the police’s calls to do something about them.
In his address at the meeting Polokwane Police Station Commander, Brig Sam Mokgonyana’s, said excuses had to stop now, and property and homeowners must be held accountable for their properties, especially when they attract criminal activities.
Property or homeowners will be forced to cleanup
According to municipal spokesperson, Tidimalo Chuene, the municipality controls land use determined by zoning and title deeds.
The municipality may eventually force the owner to clean up the site or clean the erven at the cost of the owner.
“The property owner will be served with a notice to clean the property and in the event there is no response, the municipality will clean the property and bill the property owner on their rates statement,” Chuene reiterated.
“The municipality can also recommend that the building be demolished.”
She further stated it is important to note some of these properties might be abandoned as a result of estate disputes or as the subject of insurance investigations and the municipality could only act after these external processes were concluded.
“In the case where a piece of vacant land was bought from the municipality, the sale condition has a period attached to it and where there is no compliance, the municipality will notify the owner and based on legitimate circumstances that satisfy the municipality the period may be extended,” she explained.
“The municipality may take back that piece of land if there is failure to resume with construction after the period of extension has lapsed.
“It becomes a challenge where a piece of land has been bought from a private developer and there is no period attached to the sale condition. The municipality has limited authority over private property.”
Should residents suspect suspicious activities at a vacant house or building, the matter can be reported to the municipality’s buildings inspection section and the land management section at (015) 290 2568 or (015) 290 2075.
