Hillbrow's Vannin Court building 'disaster waiting to happen'

Law enforcement officials inspected the derelict eight-story building on Tuesday morning after it was reported that a gang of criminals killed a man before taking cover in the apartment block. 

Tshwaku, who was accompanied by his counterpart in the transport department Kenny Kunene, said an engineering report deemed the building uninhabitable.

“The structural integrity is not right. This building can collapse at any time.

“Criminality is happening here. The SAPS and JMPD are g*tvol because this place become dark. People are being killed on the road and they enter inside here and leave on the other side.”

READ: Marshalltown fire: 12 more bodies released

He’s instructed security personnel to guard and seal off the building, while an audit has been ordered to establish how many people call the unsafe structure home.

On the other hand, Kunene said the occupants would be given notice to vacate the building within two days, and those who don’t have alternative accommodation will be relocated to shelters.

But at least one woman who has called Vannin Court home for five years said she would rather be given an RDP home or moved to government-owned flats.

Another woman said their water and electricity were cut over three years ago, forcing them to improvise and risk their health.

“We are getting water there [she points further up the street]. Even you, you can’t drink that water,” she exclaimed while describing the filth and stench of the water.

Both women asked to remain anonymous for fear of victimisation.

The crackdown took place ahead of the Joburg council sat for an extraordinary council meeting where the state of the city’s abandoned buildings was in sharp focus.

In council, Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda gave a report on the incident that resulted in the displacement of more than 200 families.

“So far, 43% of the affected households have been assessed, and 61% are foreign nationals. Those who were displaced have been temporarily moved to shelters and the city’s relevant departments, working with other organs of the state and respective embassies, are working on devising the next step in how we move forward,” he said.

The mayor said the Marshalltown tragedy highlighted the poor management of the metro’s properties and the dire conditions their inhabitants have been forced to live under, promising swift action, and consequences for the responsible officials.

“The city will adopt a precinct-based strategy aimed at reclaiming and rehabilitating city-owned properties. The program will start with an inventory of all the city-owned buildings in the inner city.”

Gwamanda said the city, through its law enforcement agents, focuses on condemned buildings, while the housing department would be responsible for relocating affected occupants.

ALSO READ: