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- A dilapidated False Bay house occupied by squatters is a deep concern for residents in the area.
- According to the Simon’s Town Community Policing Forum (CPF) the problem house has been an issue for a number of years.
- The house has been illegally occupied for up to five years.
- Recent sales of properties in the area, published on property24, showcase it to be from R2,7 million to R3,6 million.
Perched on a hilltop with uninterrupted ocean views over False Bay and surrounded by holiday houses and properties costing over R2 million, stands a sorry sight of a dilapidated house occupied by squatters.
Recent sales of properties in the area, published on property24, showcase it to be from R2,7 million to R3,6 million.
And according to the Simon’s Town Community Policing Forum (CPF) the problem house situated in Glencairn Heights has been an issue for a number of years.
CPF chair Andrew Rogers says the house has been illegally occupied for up to five years.
“The main hassle is that it has been taken over by people occupying the building.
“There are pending criminal cases for a few people living in the house and the property has been listed as a problem building at the City of Cape Town to hopefully find a solution.”
Another concern is a minor child living on the property, which has prompted social workers to be called in, says Rogers.
“There are between five and seven people currently occupying the building. There’s also a young child, an 11- to 12-year-old living at the premises, so a social worker has been involved.
“We are worried because the occupants have become problematic and we are waiting for an outcome of those criminal cases.”
According to a reliable source the owner of the house died a decade ago which left the house vacant and a deceased estate.
“Before the owner died, he decided to rent out the rooms and shortly after the people moved in, he died and then his wife left the property and never returned and since then there has been an issue. There should have been a will or a trust.
“So, currently four people are living in the garage and eight people in the house. There is no water or electricity and they are squatters.”
According to the source, deceased estates have become a big issue in the area as there are a number of vacant houses in Glencairn Heights.
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When People’s Post visited the houses, windows and entrance ways were overgrown with trees and bush and gates padlocked.
“I have lived here for many years and at one of the properties I removed mail in the mailbox that was dated two years ago.
“I don’t actually understand why anyone would leave their properties vacant and if they are deceased estates, why it is taking so long to it wrap up.
“The very least the owners can do is clean up and maintain the properties but they don’t.”
Ward 61 Councillor Simon Liell-Cock says absentee owners are the biggest problem.
“There is one building in Glencairn Heights that is a problem building and we tried to deal with it, but the City can’t deal with the issue on behalf of a landowner unfortunately.
“Absentee owners are the biggest problem and we can’t do anything about it. We log it as a problem building and then we sit with the problem. There has to be legislation to deal with it.”
