Cape Town - Wynberg residents have slated the City for allowing illegal dumping and vandalism at vacant council-owned properties, where houses have been demolished for a proposed MyCiTi bus route.
Wynberg Residents and Ratepayers’ Association (WRRA) chairperson Kristina Davidson said the City had allowed properties to fall into disrepair “in order to be demolished” to make way for the bus route.
Davidson said the WRRA has received numerous complaints from residents living in Wellington, Tenby and Waterbury roads.
Last year, Wynberg residents hauled the City to court after three houses were found to have been prematurely demolished without full council approval.
Prior to the demolitions 26 families, who were renting council-owned properties, were handed notices that their leases had been terminated. As a result of that court action, the City’s plan to demolish 30 council-owned properties to make way for the bus route had been put on hold.
Davidson said Wynberg has many vacant plots after the City expropriated land 50 years ago for a “bypass road”.
“In recent years, the situation worsened because the City has allowed council-owned properties to stand empty and fall into disrepair in order to demolish them.
“Subcouncil wanted to vote for the demolition of 17 Wellington Road in August last year, but did not receive permission from the heritage authorities. Despite this, the house remains empty and becomes more dilapidated every day,” Davidson said.
She explained that residents had requested that the vacant plots be fenced in, but the City refused to do so. “It is also costing ratepayers R20 000 in security costs. The reason given was that the land is needed for the proposed Brodie Road couplet (MyCiTi bus route).”
She said it was a disgrace the City was using public funds to purchase residential properties to demolish them, and allowing wellbuilt properties to stand empty when there is a desperate need for housing in the city.
Cape Times