Tweni shelter is in the red, says HCM
The municipality has vowed to recover what it is owed.
THE owner of Nehemia Care Centre, Lot 222 in Umtentweni, which is home to 59 people, owes the municipality an exorbitant sum of money in terms of rates.
This is according to Simon April, spokesman for the Hibiscus Coast Municipality, who stated this week that, although the municipality will continue to act in the best interest of all concerned, it will at the same time recover what is owed to it.
Mr April said that, while there is a challenge in locating the rightful owner of the site, the occupants are currently paying someone who is running an illegal business under the banner of a care centre, in a structurally unsafe building.
He added that after a series of inspections, the municipality had issued notices to the owner or his representative to address the discrepancies on the structures on the site or, alternatively, refrain from giving permission to people to occupy the structures as they were unsafe.
“After it was realised that none of this was complied with, and that people were continuing to occupy the buildings, the municipality approached the high court,” he said.
The municipality has since obtained a court order which states that the respondent is interdicted and restrained from occupying and causing or permitting the occupation of the buildings until all safety issues are addressed.
In addition, he said that the order directs the owner or his representative to demolish or cause to demolish or remove all the temporary structures on the site.
Mr April went onto say that while the municipality was still engaged in this necessary legal process, it was heavily criticised by the Ratepayers’ and Residents’ Association for being lenient in dealing with this issue.
“Now that the court order has been obtained, it is odd that some members of the association who were very vocal before it was obtained are now raising concern about the fate of the occupants,” he said.
The municipality intends to implement this order once it is satisfied that all logistical requirements have been put in place. It has also taken the decision to publicise the order.
