Johannesburg Property Company silent on plans for derelict property in Illovo
Residents and Ward 90 councillor Renate van Onselen say the neglected Erf 139 property has become a hotspot for alleged illegal activity, while repeated media enquiries to JPC remain unanswered.
The future of the Erf 139 in Illovo remains uncertain as the Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) is yet to respond to a media enquiry on the plans for the derelict city-owned property, following concerns from residents, businesses and councillors.
The property located at the corner of North Road and Corlett Drive has reportedly stood unused for several years after previously operating as a parking facility.
Community members said the neglected site had since become vulnerable to illegal activity, informal encroachment and urban decay.
Ward 90 councillor Renate van Onselen said, “Residents stopped the erection of an illegal car wash as well as illegal advertising. In addition, we’ve got the area developing almost as an informal kind of taxi rank where taxis will be parked next to the site in the mornings and in the afternoons.
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“It’s previously been an open parking lot. However, it’s been standing derelict for several years. If there’s nothing good going on here, something bad will come in.
“The residents from the block of flats next door have been approaching the JPC since January to ask for the possibility of them leasing the property because they are obviously concerned about the decline in the value of their property if the property is left to remain derelict.”
Van Onselen added that there was no clear indication as to what the city was proposing to do with the property.
“There’s no formal lessee on record. But this is clearly not a status quo that can be allowed to continue. With the new development going on across the road, this is not an ideal situation, and it needs to be addressed by the city.”
The trustees of Oxford Court, whose residential complex shares a boundary wall with Erf 139, said they have had the unfortunate experience of witnessing the gradual dilapidation of the property.
“It is symptomatic of the general trend of neglect for maintenance of infrastructure that appears to be far too common around the city of Johannesburg,” the trustees said.
“What was intended as a paid parking lot has, over the course of three to five years, stopped operating and closed, been vandalised and left vulnerable to the takeover by opportunistic criminal elements. At present, it lies in a state of decay with weeds overgrown, broken windows and hawkers and taxis encroaching on the premises.”
They added that as a result, they thought it would be necessary to intervene, and at a recent general meeting, they proposed to JPC to take over the management of Erf 139 and operate it for its intended purposes.
“With this mandate in hand, the trustees engaged the Johannesburg Property Company to lease Erf 139 and, naturally, assume responsibility for its maintenance and security, among other things.
“Over the course of the past five months, we have attempted to engage the JPC through its designated channels, to no avail. All emails, requests and proposals have been outright ignored by the JPC,” the trustees claimed.
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The publication reached out to JPC spokesperson Lucky Sindane for a comment on May 13 on the following questions:
- Does JPC have any existing plans, proposals, or intended developments for the property?
- Has JPC received formal requests or applications from nearby residents or bodies corporate seeking to lease or manage the property, and if so, what is the status of those engagements?
- What measures, if any, has JPC taken regarding reports of alleged illegal activities on the site, including the attempted establishment of a car wash, advertising structures, and informal taxi activity?
- What timeline can residents expect for a decision or intervention regarding the future use, maintenance, or securing of the property?
Follow-up enquiries were sent to Sindane on May 15, 18, 20 and 25. He said he had been struggling to get a response from the JPC’s project manager, but had escalated it to the CEO. However, no response had been received by the time of print. Updates will be provided once they become available.
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