Carlo Petersen
THE so called White House in Hout Bay will be demolished this week after the City’s Full Council agreed on a recommendation for the problem building.
The derelict house has been a crime hot spot and a bone of contention for Hout Bay residents since 2013.
Four murders and a spate of other criminal activities were allegedly perpetrated in or around the building in the past two months.
Transport for Cape TownMayco member Brett Herron apologised on Wednesday to the community for the neglect of the building and for the slow process to have it demolished.
“Even though the process to demolish this building commenced long before the recent media attention, we were required to follow prescribed and lengthy processes, including a heritage application,” he said.
Herron said the demolition will cost R30 000, and is set to starton Thursday, weather permitting.
Two weeks ago, a group of residents set the house alight, burning the roof down.
Continuous robberies and the recent murders of Nchikala Ngoy, 27, Monezi Menziwa, 17, Zuko Roji, 21, and Kwekwe Ngetu, 17, in Hout Bay have left residents in fear.
Hout Bay Community Policing Forum chairperson JJ de Villiers said the community had identified “a number of youths” who have been linked to the crime spree.
“There are five of them from Imizamo Yethu who have been apprehended. Court proceedings are under way and they have been remanded to places of safety until further dates are set,” said De Villiers.
Mayco member for Safety and Security JP Smith said that after he had met with De Villiers over the situation, he arranged to increase the deployment of law enforcement officers to the area.
Mayor Patricia de Lille appealed to communities on Wednesday not to resort to taking the law into their own hands.
“The fire left the building structurally unsound, but a greater concern is that the fire could have spread, putting lives and other properties at risk,” she said.
“Residents need to use the available channels to communicate with authorities, but this incident has shown we must take strong action in our own backyard.”
De Lille further said she has requested City directorates to submit reports listing problem buildings in their possession.
The mayor will then visit the buildings after meeting with the directorates.
“I urge communities to report problem buildings and any illegal activity taking place so that we can act.
“We are committed to doing all we can to create a safe city, and working with our communities to ensure that we keep the city safe.
“Most importantly, we need all property owners to take responsibility for their properties and ensure that they do not become a haven for criminals,” De Lille said.