The City of Cape Town (CoCT) says its active problem building caseload is hovering at just more than 300 properties.

The city’s Law Enforcement Problem Building Unit (PBU) has a total of 922 buildings on its list.

Of these, 35% (332) are Active Investigations, with most of the remaining number being monitored to ensure continued compliance.

The city says “significant progress” has been made by the PBU in addressing problem properties across the metropole since the amendment of the Problem Property By-law in 2020.

“Operationally, there is also greater synergy with other city departments like finance and legal services, which now work closely with the PBU to manage city-owned, private and parastatal properties that fall under the scope of the by-law.”

Problem buildings are categorised into various groups based on their status within the investigation process.

Categories other than Active Investigations include New Cases, at 11 properties; Recommended to be Identified as Closed Cases, at 72 properties; and Closed Cases, at 517 properties.

Closed Cases are monitored for a minimum of two years to ensure continued compliance, after which the property is archived.

That said, however, should the PBU receive a new complaint regarding the property, the case will be reopened for investigation.

While the city believes the PBU has achieved many successes, it says the unit still faces challenges such as deceased estates with no executor or living relatives which often remain in legal limbo, making enforcement and resolution difficult.

Equally problematic are properties with registered owners who cannot be located as they live abroad.

According to the Problem Property By-law a problematic building can fall into two categories.

Problem Buildings are defined as properties with legal, safety, or health-related non-compliance.

Buildings with Problems are properties with aesthetic or minor maintenance issues, such as unpainted surfaces, broken windows and overgrown grass.

With every reported case, the PBU conducts an on-site assessment to determine whether the property meets the criteria of a problem building in accordance with the by-law.

If it meets the criteria, the registered owner is formally notified and given an opportunity to comply with the provisions of the by-law.

Failure to comply within the prescribed period results in the property being registered as a problem building.

“We have often seen that opportunistic criminals would use a derelict building to hide, or use such a building as a base of operations,” says CoCT Safety and Security MMC JP Smith.

“Let’s work together and support our officers by reporting problem buildings.”

Residents can report problem buildings by sending a detailed complaint to the unit’s email address at problembuilding.unit@capetown.gov.za.