The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called on the Northern Cape Department of Public Works to demolish the remains of Kamieskroon’s old pink hostel after its last pieces of value were plundered over the weekend.
Before a fire swept through the building in 2021, the building was used to store furniture and also served as a workplace for a local sewing team who made everything from tracksuits to jerseys. The fire destroyed objects like mattresses and sewing equipment, but the structure remained largely intact. See pics here, here and here.
The DA requested the department to renovate the building and transform it into a much-needed old age home. Our requests fell on deaf ears and the building was left to the mercy of thieves.
Last weekend, the windows and frames were chipped out and removed, leaving nothing but an empty shell behind. The weekend before, the fencing around the facility was stolen, Prior to that it was the ceilings, doors, handles, taps, bathroom facilities and more. See pics here and here.
The DA previously reported the ongoing theft of the building to the municipal manager (MM) of Kamieskroon, who reported it to the police. No action was taken.
On the DA’s recommendation, a request was also placed by the MM to the district office of the Department of Public Works, for Kamiesberg to get permission to utlise the fencing for the municipal sewerage plant, which is not enclosed. It is a shame that we never received the go-ahead, as this could have benefitted local and provincial government instead of profiting criminals.
While the building can no longer be saved, we can prevent the property from becoming a drug den. The DA has written to MEC Fufe Makatong, requesting that she authorizes the demolition of the remaining structure. We have also asked her to investigate reports that one of the local district officers gave permission for locals to ransack the structure.
Government is the custodian of state buildings and must actively work to safeguard buildings and ensure that they are used and managed in the best interests of the community.