Some of the tenants of the Joburg buildings within the CBD have appealed to Joburg Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda to protect them from criminals who want to hijack their buildings.
This emerged on Saturday during a meeting between the residents and representatives from the Socio-Economic Rights Institute.
Samu Mdunge is one of the tenants under siege from criminals whom he said have attempted to hijack Avalon Court where he stays. Mdunge said the criminals have attempted to steal the building several times because the owner has abandoned it.
Mdunge said she has been a tenant in Avalon Court since 1996.
“They said our flat is in a dilapidated state and they lied and said we don’t want to pay for services and that is not true because we do want to pay. We even have lease agreements. They just want to hijack our building,
“I won’t say who they are but they know themselves they want to hijack our building. I’m asking the mayor and all people who can help to come forward,” she said, adding that services such as water and electricity have been cut since last year.
“Since March last year they disconnected electricity and water saying the flat is hobouring criminals. When we ask them about this they don’t want to sit in a meeting with us to explain,” she said.
Mdunge also accused some councilors without mentioning names of harassing them by constantly sending police to harass them.
Another tenant, Cikizwa Gqokoma said their rights are being abused allegedly by the police who raid their flats at night searching for guns that the tenants know nothing about.
SERI Director of Research and Advocacy Lauren Royston, said the government must follow the law when evicting tenants.
“City officials need to be empowered by politicians to do the job of providing alternative accommodation, services in these buildings and making sure the law is followed so there are no unlawful raids and people are not evicted and put into the streets,” she said.
Royston said tenants are willing to pay for services, if provided affordable housing.
“If they can get an account from the City and services can be connected, payments will happen and I think that is a really important step,” she said
A city of Joburg councilor was recently arrested for colluding with criminals to hijack a Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) building.
Nkosikhona Khanyile, the ward 65 councilor, was among 22 people arrested two weeks ago regarding the “hijacking” of a property in Denver. But the IFP in Gauteng accused the city of wrongful arrest.
