{"id":208303,"date":"2019-06-21T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-06-21T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/208303\/metros-exco-whippery-conducts-site-inspection-in-hijacked-buildings-in-germiston\/"},"modified":"2019-06-21T13:59:00","modified_gmt":"2019-06-21T11:59:00","slug":"metros-exco-whippery-conducts-site-inspection-in-hijacked-buildings-in-germiston","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/news-headlines\/2019\/06\/21\/metros-exco-whippery-conducts-site-inspection-in-hijacked-buildings-in-germiston\/","title":{"rendered":"Metro\u2019s exco, whippery, conducts site inspection in hijacked buildings in Germiston"},"content":{"rendered":"

As part of the metro\u2019s oversight responsibility, chief whip Clr Jongizizwe Dlabathi, with exco members and members of the whippery, conducted site inspections on abandoned and hijacked buildings in Germiston on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe metro already has an urban renewal programme which, according to the municipal Special Development Planning Framework, must target Germiston and Kempton Park,\u201d Dlabathi said.<\/p>

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\u201cThe programme has to do with refurbishment and urbanisation of the metro. Furthermore, it\u2019s our political call to deal with human settlement, especially building high-rise facilities.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to the chief whip\u2019s office, Ekurhuleni is reportedly losing millions of Rands through illegal activities, which are emanating from illegal occupation, illegal electricity connection cables and misuse of leaking water pipes visible all over the buildings.<\/p>

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Exco members and members of the whippery conducted site inspections, on Wednesday, in a number of Germiston CBD buildings suspected to be costing the metro millions.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\u201cMost buildings are occupied by foreign nationals who rent them out, illegally using electricity and water as supplied by the municipality,\u201d said Dlabathi.<\/p>\n

The alleged illegal property owners are allegedly collecting rentals of R1 000 to R2 000 a month per tenant.<\/p>\n

The ANC caucus further called for municipal intervention to ensure by-law enforcement and to check how the municipality can take ownership of those buildings so that it can embark on a renewal process to provide mixed-use accommodation for people to stay in a conducive environment.<\/p>\n

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EMPD official Eckert Bezuidenhout (far right) shows exco members numerous faults found in the abandoned buildings on Wednesday that needed the metro\u2019s intervention.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cIf we want to build a modern and urban metro we can\u2019t allow such situations to continue,\u201d said Dlabathi.<\/p>\n

\u201cTherefore, we are going to compile a report of what we\u2019ve observed and make specific recommendations.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe must deal with the buildings that are illegally occupied by foreign nationals of which some of them don\u2019t have legal documents to be in the country.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Abandoned and hijacked buildings in Germiston were inspected.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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It is further alleged by the caucus that these identified buildings are used to carry out other illegal activities such as the selling of drugs, alcohol and prostitution.<\/p>\n

The buildings are dirty with rubble which no one is collecting, therefore some serious by-law enforcement will have to be applied.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll make specific recommendations and table them with our executive led by the executive mayor Clr Mzwandile Masina for intervention,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n