A City of Cape Town rent office in Manenberg has been destroyed by drug addicts and skelms who stripped the building bare.
Loud bangs could be heard in Manenberg Avenue yesterday as a large group of people tore down the building, stealing everything from door frames, to windows, doors, toilets and even metal sheets from the roof.
According to a resident, who asked not to be named, the building was previously guarded by two people employed by the City, but in recent days they had allegedly abandoned their posts and tikkoppe saw an opportunity to steal.
The resident says throughout the night the sound of hammers could be heard as the skelms dismantled the roof and knocked bricks loose.
“It was mostly tikkoppe and is not gang-related. This shows the social problems affecting the community and the City should have never left that building like that,” says the resident.
“Just like with GF Jooste (which was stripped), the people are carrying it away because the property is just standing there empty.
“I am very worried because what about the clinic, as it is right next to the rent office?”
A police officer at the scene told the Daily Voice they got gatvol and gave up on chasing people away from the site as they just came back.
When the Daily Voice visited the site in Swakop Road on Monday, dozens of men and women could be seen carrying away items from the building while older residents watched.
“Die scrapyard is weer vol vandag,” a woman was heard saying.
Law Enforcement spokesperson, Wayne Dyason, says officers responded yesterday morning but a group of 100 residents stoned officers and they were forced to leave.
Mayco member for Assets and Facilities Management, Stuart Diamond, says the premises were guarded by a private security company but the site wasn’t in-use as the former housing office relocated to another area.
Diamond says the costs related to the vandalism is still being determined.