Abandoned Toti property still making residents feel unsafe
The owner of the property refuses to respond to any communications despite owing thousands of rands to the municipality.
NOTHING has been done about an abandoned house at Cato Crescent in Amanzimtoti that continues to make neighbours feel unsafe despite many complaints and inquiries about it. It has not only a haven for the homeless but has now become a hub for drug-related activities.
In January 2023, the SUN reported about 60 Cato Crescent, a house owned by Emmanuel Mcambi, who inherited it from his parents. He now works and lives in Gauteng. When contacted last year, he confirmed that he owned the house but said he was not aware that it had fallen into that state. He asked the SUN to never contact him again.
Also read: Still nothing done about Toti abandoned house
Gary Kelly, who is the Toti Berea Community Police Sub-Forum’s chairperson, said despite numerous attempts to address the issue with Mcambi, he has been unresponsive and has all but neglected his responsibilities as a property owner.
“The consequences of this negligence are manifesting in the form of a deteriorating property that has become a haven for vagrants and, more recently, a hub for drug-related activities. The property is in a deplorable state, riddled with black mould on walls and ceilings and infested with termites throughout the roof. The garden is completely overgrown with weeds and alien plants. The property is deemed to be condemned by eThekwini Municipality and not safe for habitation,” said Kelly.
As he has done for more than a year, Kelly has written to the eThekwini Municipality, pleading that something be done about the property.
“It has come to our attention that various departments within the eThekwini Municipality have attempted to contact Mcambi, but to no avail. This raises serious concerns and prompts us to question the efficacy of the current approach,” said Kelly.
Since no payment for rates and other services has been received on the property for a while, a final letter of demand was issued on June 7, 2022. At the time, the amount being owed was R142 391.84.
eThekwini’s spokesperson Mandla Nsele said the City has not been able to get hold of Mcambi.
“All processes to contact him have been exhausted, and the matter has been forwarded to the Problem Buildings Unit for their intervention,” said Nsele.
He added that for the municipality to take over an abandoned property is a lengthy process, which is followed by the Legal and Revenue Department – if the said property would be sold in execution or would be expropriated.
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