The municipality and ward councillors have been inundated – and sometimes even abused – because of overgrown and unkept vacant stands in Bluewater Bay.
Nelson Mandela Bay Ward 60 Cllr Thembinkosi Mafana said the municipality was frequently criticised for the state of these properties. He said these vacant stands are not municipal property but are rather privately owned. This means that municipality must first establish who the owner is and then find an address to which a letter can be sent. Frequently these vacant stands are owned by people who live in other towns or cities – or even abroad.
He thus believes it should be the duty of property developers to ensure that such stands are properly maintained. Mafana particularly mentioned the firm “opposite” the N2 City Shopping Centre. That firm is now Pam Golding Properties.
Roxy Meaker, manager of the Bluewater branch of the national estate agency, responded that Pam Golding does not have a single property development site in Bluewater Bay. However, she had sympathy for Mafana’s views. “As an estate agent, it makes it very difficult to sell a house if there is an unkept property next door,” she said.
Making matters worse, is that it would appear that there is no municipal by-law that can be used to force the property owner to rectify the situation. If this is so, the municipal council should consider introducing the legislation. allowing the Metro to clear the land at the owner’s expense, which could be added to his or her rates account.
