City of Cape Town targets 922 problem buildings in community safety initiative

In an aggressive move to clamp down on problem buildings in Cape Town, 922 buildings have been identified, with concerned residents holding the mayor's office to account to ensure the worst is rooted out from their communities.

The City has closed more than 500 problem houses in the past five years, with just over 300 still being investigated for possible closure and demolition.

The City said at the core of their challenge was tracing owners, which creates a delay in the process.

The City said their Law Enforcement Problem Building Unit (PBU) has 922 buildings on its list, of these, 35% are active investigations, with most being monitored to ensure continued compliance.

“Operationally, there is also greater synergy with other City departments like Finance and Legal Services who now work closely with the PBU to manage City-owned, private, and parastatal properties that fall under the scope of the By-law,” said the City.

The City detailed that problem buildings are categorised into various groups based on their status.

Of the 922 properties listed, 35% (322 properties) are active cases.

The other categories include: new cases (11 properties), recommended closed  (72 properties), closed cases (517 properties).

The City’s mayco member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, said their unit made strides by working closely with other City departments.

“The first step in addressing a problem building is reporting it and so we appeal to the public to report any potential risks in their communities. We have often seen that opportunistic criminals would use a derelict building to hide or to use such a building as a base of operations,” he said.

Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis added that whether a building was privately owned or not, they had the power to demolish it if it was deemed a problem building.

Communities such as Lentegeur and Wynberg recently reaped the benefits of the ongoing blitz to eradicate problematic buildings.

Michael Jacobs of the Mitchell’s Plain Residents United Association (MURA) and the Community Policing Forum in Lentegeur said they were relieved that one of the buildings was demolished and called on the City to continue full steam ahead.

“We have taken note of the demolition of the problem building at the Lentegeur Sports field  and there are quite a lot of problem buildings across the whole of Mitchell’s Plain.

“There are a number of problem buildings which the City is aware of, one of those is at Woodlands Sportsfield, it is totally abandoned and it is being used for anti-social behaviour and the City has been notified a couple of times, it was even brought to the councillor’s attention."

Emile Langehoven, Ward 62 councillor in Wynberg, said he was happy to note that 263 Main Road, which used to be the Old Uli Heydt Butchery, was declared  a problem building.

“Law Enforcement has initiated eviction proceedings for current occupants," he said.

Residents in Strandfontein and Philippi have been calling for a derelict house, occupied by gang members, to be demolished.

The property is Erf 617- 57 Punt Road, Philipp Farm, and belongs to the National Government.

Sandy Schuter-Flowers of the Strandfrontein Community Policing Forum said criminals often walk from the property over to Strandfontein due to a gap in a perimeter wall.

"The City (ward councillor), SAPS and Department of Agriculture has already been in communication with regards to the problem building on Punt Road,” she said.

“They apparently now wait on a legal opinion before they act.

"We urge you to expedite the process of: Demolishing the problem building, evacuating the occupants by ensuring alternative living space if need be, securing the property with a wall to prevent further issues."

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