Nearly a decade after the City of Tshwane deemed the Melgisedek buildings in Riviera unfit for habitation and had planned to relocate occupants, people still live there illegally.

The buildings continue to deteriorate, with locals complaining they are a haven for crime and drug infestation, making them uninhabitable.

In 2015, when the city condemned the buildings, concerns arose about rescuing the thousands of residents. The city announced plans to audit the residents and develop a relocation strategy.

A crèche was closed and informal traders were ordered to leave, but the traders have since returned.

A year after the buildings were deemed unsafe, the Pretoria News reported that the city formed a task team to assess the buildings’ condition, structural integrity, and residents’ social circumstances. The team’s mandate was later expanded to investigate other potentially dilapidated or illegally occupied city properties.

However, it transpired this week that the city is still exploring options to rehabilitate Melgisedek and convert it into student accommodation, a proposal that originated from the previous DA-led administration.

Meanwhile, the buildings continue to deteriorate, being surrounded by a foul odor, mosquitoes, and flies. A nauseating mixture of water and human waste flows through the area. 

Toilets have been converted into makeshift homes, leaving residents without proper ablution facilities. 

Some relieve themselves behind the buildings, while others use toilets at nearby shopping centers or petrol stations.

Former DA MMC Kingsley Wakelin, now an MPL, had pledged to address hijacked and illegally occupied buildings in Pretoria’s CBD, with Melgisedek prioritised under the Tshwane Sustainable and Better Buildings programme, aimed at regenerating the inner-city.

This week, MMC for Shared and Corporate Services, Kholofelo Morodi, said the city is still moving forward with plans to develop Melgisedek into student accommodation. 

“As part of the Bad Buildings programme, the city has met with the University of Pretoria to explore collaboration and partnerships and the Melgiesedek is part of this process,” she said.

She cited illegal occupation by vulnerable groups, including women, children, and the elderly, as a major reason for the delay in developing Melgisedek.

She said the exact number of occupants wasn’t known, but estimates suggested between 400 to 500 people were living on the property.

She also cited the property’s current zoning as educational as a development constraint, limiting potential opportunities for the building.

“During the State of the Capital Address, the Executive Mayor announced that the City is undertaking several land preparation measures on earmarked strategic properties,” she said.

Despite previous commitments to relocate the inhabitants, Morodi said measures are underway to clear the property, including identifying suitable alternative accommodation for the occupants.

She said rezoning the property is necessary to secure a broader range of development rights before putting it on the market.

“Once all of these have been achieved, the city will embark on a competitive bidding process to invite private sector partners to unlock the development of the property by way of a long-term lease. The City does not envisage spending any money in the refurbishment of the property as it is intended for private sector collaboration by way of long-term development lease,” she said.

rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za

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