Cape Town mayor condemns building hijacking at complex

Police are alleged to have stood by while the housing complex was invaded and lawful tenants and security guards were attacked.

CAPE TOWN, March 15 (ANA) – On Monday, Cape Town mayor Dan Plato condemned the organised building hijacking at the Goedehoop Rental Complex in Brooklyn.

In a statement, he said the incident occurred at the weekend and that around 24 apartments are reported to be occupied following the organised invasion.

The complex is run by a social housing institution, Communicare, who Plato confirmed filed formal complaints with the provincial police commissioner and the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), claiming police were inactive at the time of the incident.

“I am concerned by Communicare’s report that police simply looked on as an organised building hijacking took place at a social housing complex in Brooklyn. I share their view that there must be consequences for illegal building hijacking attempts, or else there will be no end to this illegality as we’ve seen in Gauteng,” Plato said.

He said he has committed to engaging with both police and Communicare about the complaint that police stood by as violent scuffles allegedly broke out on Friday.

Plato also stated the organised invasion was allegedly led by two tenants from another of Communicare’s properties.

He said the social housing institution was advised by the police to apply to the courts for the Prevention of Illegal Eviction and Unlawful Occupation (PIE) Act to deal with the illegal occupation of social rental apartments despite the property being stormed in the presence of police.

“Disaster regulations currently limit the ability of courts to grant eviction orders. This will add to Communicare’s challenge of dealing with the injustice of this building hijacking,” Plato said, adding that he has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to urgently change the regulations for the sake of the rule of law and for the greater good of communities and cities’ development goals.

In a statement released on Sunday, Communicare said its staff, security guards and tenants battled from 9pm on Friday until the early hours of the morning to prevent lawful tenants from being assaulted and secure the property from illegal occupation.

It claimed this occurred while police from Maitland, Cape Town and Milnerton police stations stood watching and did not attempt to stop the illegal activity.

The housing institution said attempts to illegally occupy its Goedehoop Rental Complex has been ongoing since March 2.

It said this was reported to police, who allegedly refused to take any action to protect the property and the legal tenants living on the premises.

“Security guards were attacked with bottles. Bins were burnt, doors to tenants’ apartments were broken and cars were damaged by the crowd, who were intent to violently occupy the vacant units.

“Members of the crowd threatened some tenants and said they would return to burn down the units and set tenants alight. SAPS stood by and watched all this unfold and refused to take any action despite pleas from tenants and Communicare,” it said.

The institution also alleged in one incident one of its security guards was instructed by a police officer to allow illegal occupants to move into vacant units.

Communicare said its tenants are now traumatised and living in fear of their safety.

– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher