GEORGE NEWS - The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) has indicated that a long-term solution involving a possible sports centre is being considered for Erf 658, the property of the vandalised former magistrate’s house.
According to DPWI spokesperson Lennox Mabaso, the department, George Municipality and the Western Cape Government are developing a long-term plan for the property.
“The current proposal is to establish a sports centre on the site, although the project remains in its early planning stages and depends on provincial funding. No construction commencement or completion dates can therefore be confirmed at this stage,” said Mabaso.
The years-long neglect of the property and failure to secure it led to extreme vandalism, which has left this historic house, the main building on the property, in ruins, and further buildings nearby being illegally occupied. Crime in the surrounding neighbourhoods is also being linked to people illegally squatting on the property.
Mabaso’s response follows community efforts on which George Herald reported. Several residents spent about R35 000 clearing dense vegetation and removing seven truckloads of rubbish, after years of raising concerns with the authorities about safety and the deteriorating condition of the house had fallen on deaf ears.
Mabaso said the department recognises the residents’ concerns about overgrown vegetation, illegal dumping, alleged unlawful occupation and reports of criminal activity. “The condition of Erf 658 is a long-standing problem inherited from previous administrations, during which the property was allowed to deteriorate over several years without adequate intervention.”
At one time, about 30 people lived on Erf 658, according to the NHW. Photo: Supplied
After the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, visited the property about a year ago, officials were instructed to take immediate steps to safeguard the site and prevent further vandalism and deterioration. “The department acknowledges the efforts of the community members who cleared the vegetation and removed the waste, but work on state-owned land should preferably be co-ordinated with the department and relevant authorities to ensure legal, environmental and safety requirements are met.”
Addressing the questions about why security was only recently deployed to guard a ruin, Mabaso repeated that the building had already suffered extensive vandalism before the current administration took office.
“The security intervention cannot reverse the historic damage already sustained by the building, but it is intended to ensure that the remaining structures are protected from further deterioration.”
Commenting on a resident’s statement that the guards do nothing to stop people entering there or to check if anyone is squatting in the additional structure behind the house, Mabaso said the security guards are responsible for protecting state assets and do not have the legal authority to arrest suspects, investigate crime or evict occupants.
“Allegations of criminal activity fall within the mandate of the police, while any unlawful occupation must be addressed through the required legal processes.”
The rubbish has piled up over the years.
Following the clearing of the property, the illegal dwellers moved out. A representative of the Heatherlands, Glen Barrie and Camphersdrift Neighbourhood Watch, Peter King, who co-ordinated the community effort, said further clearing is needed on adjacent properties where illegal structures are still standing among thick bush. This has been communicated to the George Municipality’s Law Enforcement Department, but no action has been taken yet.
The newspaper has reached out to the municipality and will provide an update when a response is received.
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