26 February, 2003

Press Release

Two more unsafe buildings are shut in Joburg

The City of Johannesburg described as a step in the right direction the evacuation and sealing of two Inner City buildings by the Sheriff of the Johannesburg High Court earlier this morning.

The two buildings; Olympia Building in Yeoville and Sunleigh Court in Braamfontein apart from contravening the City's Buildings Control By-laws, contributed immensely to crime and grime. The city said the buildings were unfit for human habitation and were so derelict that one was threatening to collapse.

The evictions follows a two months long court battle to have the buildings evacuated. Two weeks ago, the court granted the order in favour of the city and notices of evacuation were served to a total of 132 families occupying the two building. Most residents except a small number of youths had heeded the notice when the sheriff and the police arrived to enforce the order today.

One of the buildings, Sunleigh Court is to be demolished within the next two weeks. Member of the Mayoral Committee responsible for the Inner City Councillor Sol Cowan said the pronouncement of the court exonerated the City's standpoint that "no one in the city deserves to live in sub human conditions".

"Similar actions will be continuing as we will not backpedal on our responsibility to enforce the By-Laws and thereby expose residents of the City to crime, health hazards and unsafe buildings which often result in tragic loss of lives.

"All kinds of crime, including the continuous violation of by-laws, constitute obstacles towards making Johannesburg a "World Class African City". The Inner City, one of the crucial economic activity zones in the City, experience crime, especially violation of by-laws, which negates all the good intentions and plans of action deserving of a World Class City", said Cowan.

He added that activities such as by-law violations that turn residential buildings into slums, illegally trading in homes, running illegal night clubs, graffiti on properties, illegal connection of electricity and telephone lines, and environmental hazards, far from creating jobs, in fact destroys them and any of the associated prospects of future jobs.

ENDS.

For More information contact
Mbangwa Xaba
Tel: 407 7226
Fax: 403 3494
082 467 9230