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A Lotus River law enforcement building has been left uninhabitable after years of vandalism and theft.
In a bid to stop any further damage to the facility in Fourth Avenue, security patrols have been beefed up.
According to Subcouncil 18 reports, the City’s Safety and Security Department aims to put in place immediate interim security arrangements to safeguard the facility.
Vandalism, theft
The property, situated on the same erf as St Luke’s Hospice, which had also been plagued with vandalism and theft, was used as a municipal depot until 2020.
Ward 65 councillor Donovan Nelson told People’s Post a case of theft was opened at the Grassy Park Police Station on Thursday 9 May.
“Electrical and plumbing, doors, windows and the roof were stolen, so it placed us in a bad position,” he said.
“Even if we want to fix it, we are looking at R3 million and there is no indication whether we will be able to refurbish the building to its former glory.
“We are trying to find the best solution, such as eventually renting out the space.”
Nelson added there was no budget to employ security at the facility.
“We tried our utmost to get security at the facility but there was no funding available last year, so this year we looked at the possible use of neighbourhood watch patrollers but agreed it was not an ideal solution, as neighbourhood-watch members had day jobs and were employed full-time.”
In the interim, regular law-enforcement patrol measures have been put in place to prevent any more damage.
“As a result of theft, the facility is uninhabitable at the moment. No one can operate in it because there are no functional toilets or plumbing,” explained Nelson.
“The security was removed after December last year due to budget constraints and budget cuts. A case of theft and vandalism was opened to start a proper investigation because the suspects are known to the community.”
Security patrols
Nelson further explained that the building, which was the previous housing rental office, was never occupied by law enforcement.
In 2020, the City and Western Cape government launched the Law Enforcement Advancement Programme (LEAP), in which law enforcement required space for deployment and offices across the City.
At the time, the property location suited the deployment footprint, and therefore Property Management supported and approved the allocation and transfer at the end of 2021.
In the interim, law enforcement has been activated for 24-hour security patrols at the facility. The security deployment will be part of the Rapid Response Unit (RRU) deployment plans.
Meanwhile, the Safety and Security Department will engage with Property Management on the economic viability and stability of the facility, where all options will be considered.
