ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba was invited by the Germiston Business Forum to inspect looted buildings in the neighbourhood.
“We will do everything we can to ensure that we protect our country from being hijacked by internal crime syndicates,” Mashaba said on Tuesday.
Germison’s building was stolen
In one building in Germiston, Herman Mashaba said he found tenants – in some cases, families of 4 or more – paying R1 700 cash a month for a small room.
Mashaba said he wants to know from the local municipality why the building is still connected to water and electricity infrastructure, despite being considered a ‘hijacked building’.
Exploitation and illegal connections
The Gauteng-based business forum also found suspected illegal connections in a creche operating out of one of the hijacked buildings.
He said that the business forum will go to the municipality after the site visit is over, adding that the municipality “must explain, how it happened under supervision”.
WATCH: Illegal connection in creche
However, after visiting the City Manager’s Office on Tuesday, the manager was not available to talk about the issue.
In another building, Mashaba said, “the situation is terrible; illegal connections, children roaming around in the building.
No help from the courts
Eric Sithole, a member of the Germiston Business Forum, said he bought Eric’s Palace – a building with eight residential units and three commercial units – for R2.6 million in 2008.
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He now pays about R27 000 a month, even though the building was looted in 2017.
“I’ve been in and out of court, I can get a court order in 2020 [but] unable to fulfill orders due to covid pandemic and regulations.
Sithole said he got a citation for an eviction order, but “it’s too much for me, I don’t think in the current state of the property, it makes sense to evict people now. I’d rather run away from it.”
WATCH: Rent is being exploited
Mashaba also said there was no excuse for the ANC government at this stage. He pointed to the looted building that was next to the SASAA building.
“So we have violations of the law and criminality happening in front of government offices. I don’t know what reason they can give if they don’t have knowledge about the hijacked building.
“Mr. president, on Thursday, when you speak to South Africans, let’s talk about the life experiences of South Africans.”
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‘Even the police are afraid of these thugs’
Back in 2022, the Johannesburg Property Owners and Managers Association (JPOMA) called on the City to take action against syndicates that hijack buildings within the city.
JPOMA general manager Angela Rivers said the situation has worsened in recent years, turning the inner city into a crime hotspot.
Rivers said: “The problem is a thorn in the side of the city, and our research shows that there are criminals who have been ignoring this for a decade or more.
“They are breaking the law, ruling with violence and allowing the complete degradation of inner-city buildings as services are cut for non-payment. Even the police are afraid to face these thugs.”