Stop willful house destruction

WALMER, and probably other areas in our city, have fallen victim to gangsters, unlike the kind the northern areas are accustomed.

These people buy houses, leave them empty and then let them be demolished or stripped.

Let’s say they are valued at R1-million each.

I think of Villiers Road. On the corner of Second Avenue is a vacant plot, its house demolished years ago and now overgrown.

At a site in Third Avenue, a big wall has been built while things happened behind it.

Between Third and Fourth avenues are four or five plots on which houses were abandoned and then slowly torn down.

Late last year someone dumped sand there, but nothing since.

Eighth Avenue has another demolished house. So we talking about R6- or R7-million lying around – a surplus or perhaps an uncomfortable bulge in someone’s mattress?

The same is happening in Albert Road between Second and Third avenues.

It seems someone plans to put a big warehouse over an existing dwelling.

This backs onto a beautiful house on Heugh Road once called Klein Schuur – they could call it “Groot Cement Paving Vlei” now. It seems they have already paved the back garden of the Albert Road property, perhaps for off-street parking for those who wish to visit the museum of a house on Albert Road?

They even started before they allegedly had permission.

How do you expect your fellow citizens to abide by the law if you are not allegedly doing so?

Is there some law that says stealing hubcaps is more of an offence than ignoring building regulations? Is there someone in control of the area who could assist in stopping this?

William Pierce-Jones, Walmer, Port Elizabeth