Cape Town - Social housing giant Communicare is “extremely” concerned about escalating threats and attempts to trespass on and hijack several of its city properties.
Chief executive Anthea Houston said: “We have a zero tolerance approach to unlawful conduct and take these incidents very seriously We have seen how such building hijackings quickly result in slums in Johannesburg and cannot tolerate the hijacking of our property and threats to the safety of our legitimate tenants.”
It’s understood that a group of people have been cutting locks and breaking into Communicare premises in an attempt to hijack buildings.
Dennehof and Albatross apartments in Thornton as well as two houses in Ruyterwacht have been affected in the last three weeks. Vacant units being repaired or waiting for new tenants to move in are being targeted by the group.
“I am sympathetic to the severe housing backlog in our city but breaking the law is not the way to express frustration,” Houston said.
It’s not the first time a group has attempted to hijack some of Communicare’s property. In February, a group held an unarmed security guard at gunpoint to obtain keys to vacant units.
On Wednesday last week, a group once again resorted to violence and beat a security guard into submission to obtain keys to a house. According to Communicare these individuals prey on the severe need for housing in the city and fraudulently claim to own the properties.
Meanwhile, Communicare has released more affordable rental units for Cape Town’s residents.
The organisation completed the first phase of the Musgrave Park development in Diep River. The first of four blocks go on the market for rental from October 1.
@MarvinCharles17