Door shut of criminal enterprises at 35 Clyde Street
Published: November 29, 2024<< BACK TO NEWS
The demolition of a hijacked building and crime hotspot at 35 Clyde Street, Central was applauded as a major step towards addressing problem buildings.
Next to an
ominous opening where the door used to be to a quaint historic building, the
words: "Knock here. 24/7,” invited clientele to illicit enterprises at the
dilapidated structure.
This door to this murky world has now been firmly shut early today when Stu Davidson Plant
Hire and Demolition started their work at the crack of dawn.
Deputy
Executive Mayor Gary van Niekerk, the then Executive Mayor, was alerted about
the crime den at 35 Clyde Street, Central during a visit to a CCTV control room
of a private security company in November last year.
"I signed a
memorandum to fast-track the demolition of this eyesore that used to be a
historic gem occupied by the Community Chest.
"The owner was
tracked down and encouraged to apply for a demolition certificate. He 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. 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 and an
agreement was reached. This resulted in Stu Davidson & Sons agreeing to
demolish the building at a reduced cost as part of their corporate social
investment portfolio.
"The SRA will
therefore 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,” Deputy Executive Mayor Gary van
Niekerk said.
Residents
applauded the initiative and said that they will now be able to move freely at
night and not be concerned about thugs robbing and attacking them from that
site.
In November
2021, four people were killed and five wounded during a shootout at this
address.
Ends
Issued on
behalf of Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Deputy Executive Mayor Gary van
Niekerk.
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