Building ownership laws fail to protect property owners from illegal occupation - CoCT
The municipality has revealed that it is investigating at least 291 suspected hijacked buildings across Cape Town.
City centre of Cape Town, Table Mountain. Wikimedia Commons/Discott
CAPE TOWN - The City of Cape Town says the laws governing building ownership are failing to protect property owners from illegal occupation.
The municipality has revealed that it is investigating at least 291 suspected hijacked buildings across Cape Town.
ALSO READ: CT residents urged to report illegally occupied buildings
According to Safety and Security MMC JP Smith, some building owners have abandoned their properties due to the complicated red tape that must be followed before evicting illegal occupiers.
Smith said the metro has since launched legal proceedings against 55 property owners, adding that its Problem Building Unit is also working on 27 new cases of illegal occupation.
"The city's Problem Building Unit is making great strides in addressing the problem, and we are constantly adapting to ensure we can be more efficient and effective as a unit. These are complex matters that take time, and our staff have to act in accordance with the by-law.
“I encourage residents to report potential problem buildings to law enforcement. The sooner it gets reported, the sooner our staff can act to limit the impact on the neighbourhood."