The owner of a dirty Woodlands property has been served a notice of non-compliance by the City of Cape Town’s health department.
According to municipal officials the property forms part of a late estate which has fallen to disarray.
Pensioner Vernon Deschamps raised the alarm because, he said, the state of his neighbour’s yard was affecting his family’s health.
“It is stinking and has a bad stench that is causing an infestation of flies, which has been coming on for the last three years,” he said.
Mr Deschamps said he raised it with City officials before but it fell on deaf ears.
They have up to 15 fly traps inside and outside of their home.
“I sent pictures and emails to Joan Woodman, councillor for Ward 75, but nothing constructive was done to solve the problem,” he said.
Both Mr Deschamps and his family have experienced bouts of diarrhoea.
Ms Woodman said the private works order to clean the premises would be carried out next week.
“Once the work need is assessed, the late estate will be billed for the work undertaken,” she said.
She said the premises in Artemis Road Woodlands had been declared a problem building.
Ms Woodman said she had gone to the house, where the son lives, but had to run for her life because the occupants appeared to be under the influence of drugs and would not have her on the property
Dr Zahid Badroodien, mayoral committee member for community services and health, said they were in the process of dealing with the matter as a health nuisance.
“A compliance notice was served by the responsible environmental health practitioner on the owner of the property.
“The owner did not comply with the stipulated contraventions specified in the compliance notice therefore further action will be taken,” he said.
The department has submitted a request for a private works order to remedy the unhygienic conditions that persists on the property.
Dr Badroodien said as soon as the order is approved a service provider would be appointed to clean the yard.
“City health will monitor the situation and ensure that the unhygienic conditions that exist receive the necessary urgent actions,” he said.
