Authorities suspect there are powerful syndicates behind rampant hijacking of buildings in the Johannesburg CBD (Central Business District). This as authorities find buildings they previously cleared being fully occupied as if they were never raided and the relative ease with which such structures are connected illegally to services.
On tuesday Acting Executive Mayor of the City of Joburg Kenny Kunene led a crackdown on the CBD that also uncovered worrying patterns in the hijacking of buildings.
Residents of a high jacked building in Marshalltown told Kunene that they each paid not less than a thousand rand each month to a committee of unidentified persons monthly. The raid also found cables supplying electricity to the dilapidated structure straight from an adjacent building leaving the Joburg executives worrying that professional electricians from City Power or Eskom could be behind the illegal connections.
“We are worried as a city because you can see with the cable we just dismantled just how sophisticated it was done, clearly not the work of an ameteur which means we could be having a syndicate internally or persons assisting syndicates with material,” said the Mayoral Committee Member responsible for utilities Jack Sekwaila moments after City Power technicians dismantled the illegal connections.
Sekwayiya said the city was losing millions of rands due to illegal connections while ratepayers experience serious billing discrepancies.
“You saw for yourselves that this building had connected illegally to another one just across the road that is paying which explains why you have ratepayers complaining that they are billed more than their actual consumption. These people collect a thousand or so per head, not per room, per person so this guy makes easily 120 000 give or take. you can imagine the difference that this money could make if it was paid to the city because we’re the only ones with authority to give power ( electricity) and water. it’s a lot of money, no wonder they are even killing each other,” said Sekwayiya.
The occupants of the building, mostly undocumented foreigners expressed displeasure with the raid complaining that their rights were being violated prompting fears that the South African Human Rights Commission or NGOs that have previously taken the city to court over similar raids may intervene yet again.
Community Safety MMC Mgcini Tshwaku said the rights were unfairly elevated ahead of those of property owners as well as the government and call for a review of laws regulating evictions.
“Two buildings, by the way, have been reclaimed, by the way. Oh, no , more buildings, another one.Two are done. Now we’re going for Vinen Court and Casamia. Those are the biggest.We’re going. Yeah, now two. We are not being discouraged by SIRI ( rights group) and the courts.We respect the courts, but the judges must also come. In fact, this country must revisit the property rights. Because property rights say you can’t evict a person, but it does not define the person and here we are dealing with organised syndicates, criminals so the law must not refer to persons in general without being specific on criminals such as building hijackers,” said Tshwaku.
Kunene said the city will intensify the campaign and promised to have the social development MMC Ernie Makhafola avail alternative accommodation for genuine residents who may find themselves in the crossfire as a result of leasing in non compliant buildings that may be evacuated to be renovated.