Nelson Mandela Bay: NMB Municipality Deputy Mayor, Gary van Niekerk, has described the demolition of a hijacked building and crime hotspot at 35 Clyde Street, Central, as a major step towards addressing problem buildings. Once a quaint, historic building, the hijacked structure had become a den for crime, where illicit activities thrived in the dilapidated structure. The door to the murky world was firmly shut when Stu Davidson Plant Hire and Demolition started their work on Friday morning.

According to South African Government News Agency, Van Niekerk was alerted to the criminal activities at 35 Clyde Street during a visit to a closed-circuit television (CCTV) control room of a private security company in November last year when he was mayor. A memorandum was signed to fast-track the demolition of the eyesore that used to be a historic gem occupied by the Community Chest, a non-profit organisation in the welfare sector.

Van Niekerk explained that the owner of the building was tracked down and encouraged to
apply for a demolition certificate. ‘He [owner] did, and we got municipal officials around the table to ensure that the process is fast-tracked to demolish the building. We only lacked a budget to get the job done and this conundrum was solved at the launch of the Mandela Bay Development Agency’s CCTV control room launch earlier this month. We discussed this matter with a representative of the Central Special Rating Area (SRA) and an agreement was reached. This resulted in Stu Davidson and Sons agreeing to demolish the building at a reduced cost as part of their corporate social investment portfolio,’ Van Niekerk explained.

The Deputy Mayor noted that the SRA will only have to pay for a third of the cost. ‘We are excited that this initiative will bring immediate relief for the residents of that street, as a major crime hotspot has now been removed,’ Van Niekerk said. Residents have commended the initiative, saying they will now be able to move freely at night and not be concerned about thugs robbing and atta
cking them from the site. In November 2021, four people were killed and five wounded during a shootout at the site.