Joburg MMCs Kunene and Tshwaku Tour Hijacked CBD Buildings With Aim of Closure “By Whatever Means Necessary”

• Johannesburg MMCs Kenny Kunene and Mgcini Tshwaku are determined to tackle the issue of hijacked buildings in the CBD
• They recently inspected a dilapidated building in Hilbrow with the intention of closing down the unsafe structure
• The MMCs claimed they would not deterred by legal challenges and declared war on hijacked buildings

JOHANNESBURG - Two Johannesburg MMCs are on a mission to close hijacked buildings in the Johannesburg Central Business District (CDB).

Transport MMC Kenny Kunene accompanied MMC for Public Safety Mgcini Tshwaku for a walk through Vannin Court, a dilapidated building in Hilbrow, on Tuesday, 5 September.

Speaking to the media, Tshwaku explained that he and Kunene were inspecting the building as part of Operation Namge Namhlange and Operation Restore.

The Public Safety MCC said that they were checking the buildings with the intention of closing them down by whatever means necessary, TimesLIVE reported.

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Tshwaku warned:

“Today, we are going to do an inspection. But conditions can change. If we feel we must close it, we will close it, court or no court.”

Kenny Kunene points finger at NGOs

Kunene took aim at NGOs for adding to the city's challenges with hijacked buildings.

The transport MMC said that he tried to address the problem in April but was interdicted from evicting residents from abandoned buildings, according to HeraldLive.

Kunene made it clear that they would not be dissuaded from their crusade this time.

Kunene declared:

"We want to make it very clear that we have declared war on hijacked buildings, NGO or no NGO."

South Africans condemn the hijacked building crisis in Joburg

Below are some comments:

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@Xee_GP questioned:

"How many times are these people going to 'inspect' the same building? When are we receiving the outcome of these 'inspections'?"

@Michell19653046 criticised:

"This has been a problem for years, but only now for the propaganda media are they 'inspecting'. Or for a show to try to get votes. Nothing will be done..."

@AmuFloyd said:

"In the early 2000s, Yizo Yizo 3 highlighted the hijacking of buildings. This is worse than that fictionalised version."

@UnityInSA condemned:

"Unbelievable to see buildings in this condition. Even worse is to think that the CoJ allowed this to happen under their noses."

Joburg fire: Authorities say building was an 'informal settlement'

In a similar story, Briefly News reported that the apartment building engulfed in flames in the Johannesburg Central Business District (CBD) in the early hours of Thursday morning operated like an informal settlement.

Residents at a Marshalltown apartment building were awakened by devastating flames at around 1am on 31 August.

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According to TimesLIVE, Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) and firefighters worked tirelessly to quell the flames and rescue people.

Source: Briefly News