11 hours ago
Wynberg faces ongoing urban decay issues following problem building declaration
263 Main Road in Wynberg has officially been declared a problem building under the City of Cape Town's by-laws and Law Enforcement has initiated eviction proceedings for current unlawful occupants.
Image: supplied
The derelict building at 263 Main Road in Wynberg has officially been declared a problem building under the City of Cape Town's by-laws — a significant step in addressing long-standing concerns about safety and misuse, said ward 62 councillor Emile Langenhoven.
However, some residents argue the area is steadily sliding into chronic urban decay.
'The Wynberg precinct is no different from Yeoville or Hillbrow,' said property owner Andrew Charman.
'If Capetonians believe the City has the ability or political will to tackle complex urban management challenges, they are mistaken.'
Charman, who owns property in the precinct, described the City's approach as rudderless.
'For over a decade, City officials and political leaders have promised stern action against problem buildings. A high court case against the Uli Heydt building was said to be imminent. Nothing happened.'
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He said socio-economic issues also need addressing, including medical support for homeless people with severe mental illness and the open sale of drugs.
Langenhoven confirmed that while 263 Main Road was earmarked for the list in 2023, formal declaration only happened recently.
'The process involves inspections, compliance notices, and allowing time for objections or remedial action. 263 Main Road has now been formally declared a problem building. Law Enforcement is now empowered to proceed with evictions of unlawful occupants and to secure the premises.'
Mayco member for safety and security, JP Smith, said LEAP is deployed to crime-affected precincts to assist SAPS and is not assigned to Wynberg for by-law enforcement.
In response to claims that the City's crime-fighting efforts fail to address the root causes of chronic urban decay, City spokesperson, Luthando Tyhalibongo said, the Mayoral Urban Regeneration Programme (MURP) had deployed 12 Wynberg Ambassadors for patrols, focusing on crime prevention and reporting service faults.
'Community Safety ambassadors have been consistently present for the past six months and during peak seasons over the last three years,' he said.
'Additionally, MURP deployed two-armed response vehicles during the day and night with armed guards providing a visible security presence that directly addresses social challenges contributing to crime in the CBD area. These interventions had reduced crime within the CBD and Public Transport Interchange areas over the last few months.'
Responding to complaints about grey water runoff, illegal dumping, potholes, and by-law violations, the City's Mayco member for water and sanitation, Zahid Badroodien, said teams rely on logged service requests to identify faults like burst pipes and overflowing sewers.
He further urged residents to always report such service requests to help teams to attend to these matters as quickly as possible.
Cape Argus
