Cape Town - Social housing giant Communicare has apologised for the “extreme unhappiness” being caused by a vandalised house that is part of its Ruyterwacht property portfolio.
The apology came in the wake of a complaint from Cape Town housing activist Colin Arendse who wrote to Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis about the danger crime posed to residents of the neighbourhood because of the state of the house.
In his email to the mayor, copied to media houses, Arendse said: “We all know that once the criminal element becomes aware of houses that have been abandoned, it immediately leads to other social ills in the area.”
He claimed the previous tenants appeared to have been evicted by the City and since then the house had been stripped by vandals who had carried away fixtures and fittings.
However, contacted for comment, City Law Enforcement spokesperson Wayne Dyason said: “This is private property and no City enforcement department was part of an eviction process.”
He said the City’s Problem Building Unit had not received any complaints.
Admitting that the house was part of its portfolio, Communicare chief operating officer Makhosi Kubheka said the house had been boarded up to secure the property which is on the market.
“However, each time the property was boarded up, it was vandalised and fixtures and fittings were stolen. This made the occupation and sale of the property impossible.”
Kubheka said the sale of the property had been delayed due to the condition of the house and the illegal occupation of adjacent land.
“We understand that residents are concerned. I apologise for the extreme unhappiness this property is causing the community,” Kubheka said.