'White House' to go in problem building crackdown

30 July 2015 - 02:02 By Aphiwe Deklerk

Cape Town private property owners are going to feel the pressure as the city council ups the ante on derelict buildings. Yesterday, mayor Patricia de Lille said the Problem Building Unit was investigating 1 953 cases reported to them.The city has a bylaw to deal with "problem buildings" that may be used for crime, are overcrowded and sometimes dirty and dilapidated.According to the bylaw, owners may be fined up to R300 000 or jailed for three years, and a R5000 tariff added to their rates and services account.De Lille said most of the cases they were dealing with involved privately owned buildings.Yesterday, the council approved the demolition today of the "White House", a city-owned building believed to be the used by criminals in Hout Bay...

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