Johannesburg - A Lenasia South owner faces losses estimated at R700 000 for constructing a block of flats illegally.
The City of Joburg moved in with a demolition crew on Wednesday, razing the illegal building in Mount Logan Street, which was half complete, to the ground as delighted neighbours looked on.
The owner, Palesa Moimane, started building in about 2010. Her intention was to have a guest house/flats up and running for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
However, she started building without having submitted plans.
The council issued several orders for her to stop construction, but she failed to do so.
Eventually, the city obtained a demolition order.
In the meantime, Moimane disappeared and was untraceable. City spokesman Virgil James said she had wasted about R500 000 on construction costs. She now faces legal costs of close to R200 000, which are going to be added to her rates bill.
“This should serve as a warning that people should not build without approved plans. Getting plans is a relatively simple and easy process. If the city cannot approve plans, our building team will assist residents with information about how to adapt their plans so that they will be approved,” James said.
The process takes long because proper processes have to be followed, he added.
“And this is where the public try to take advantage of the system. They believe that if they construct quickly, we will not demolish. That is a misconception. We will demolish if the buildings do not comply with building regulations. The city is subject to lengthy judicial processes due to the pressure on the court roll,” he said.
A demolition order costs close to R170 000, and the city annually makes budget provisions for instituting legal action. Incomplete, unoccupied properties that are structurally dangerous or are used as springboards for criminal activities are prioritised, James said.
He added the half-completed building in Lenasia South was causing problems for the neighbourhood, and that was why it had been prioritised.
In fact, the neighbours were celebrating when the bulldozers moved in this week.
Hawa Baby, who lives next door, said she would now be sleeping at night. “We have had so many things stolen from our property by criminals who hide there.”
Amina Mustapha agreed. “The whole suburb will be sleeping peacefully now. We have been waiting for about five years for this to happen. The shell was being used by children bunking school to go and do drugs, by criminals and by homeless people,” she said.
The Star
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