Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson and eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba on Monday revealed that they had set up a task team to address the issue of problem buildings in the city.
Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson and eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba on Monday revealed that they had set up a task team to address the issue of problem buildings in the city.
eThekwini Municipality has been faced with the challenges of abandoned and hijacked buildings with revenue not being collected from building owners for a long period of time. Macpherson said that the task team would meet monthly to address these challenges and assist in an inner city regeneration programme.
Xaba said that they had identified 76 buildings that are derelict, abandoned, hijacked and overcrowded.
“Of these, 58 are privately owned and 18 are government-owned buildings and this is where we require the intervention of the minister. We have also discovered that 16 of these buildings have been hijacked and illegally occupied.”
Macpherson said that with Xaba they had agreed to establish an important joint technical task team between the City and the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure to address a number of bad buildings.
“This will ensure that state-owned properties pay their rates on time and to assist in Durban’s inner-city rejuvenation.”
Macpherson added that the task team would meet on a monthly basis and report to the mayor and himself.
“The department has already started to take action to resolve issues facing the abandoned and partly hijacked Excelsior Court building, the possible redevelopment of the former police barracks close to the Durban inner city and the soon-to-be-completed work at the Durban Magistrate’s Court to ensure that the building is fire safety compliant.”
Macpherson said that the technical committee would further accelerate these efforts by working closely together with the Metro to identify, reclaim and redevelop bad buildings and address issues of revenue.
“The task team will devise formal strategies and plans to expedite investment into state-owned properties and to attract additional investment into the inner city.”
Macpherson added that without water, eThekwini would not function or survive as a destination for investment and tourism.
Xaba said that there had been a number of successes since the inner-city regeneration programme began.
“The programme focuses on bad buildings, public space management and enforcement of by-laws.”
Xaba added that the success can also be attributed to the ongoing engagements with property owners.
“Last year, the council approved the display of building wraps on declared problem buildings to assist the property owners to generate income from advertising in order to settle arrears in rates and services and to pay for the refurbishments of the building.”
The Mercury