Mense took to the streets of Milnerton this weekend to protest against the increase of pimps and prostitutes in their community.
The residents’ associations which covers various areas in the Mother City’s well-known ‘red light district’ say they are gatvol of ouens buying up properties and erecting illegal buildings for their brothels.
On Saturday, various residents associations from Brooklyn, Ysterplaat, Summer Greens, Sanddrift, Phoenix, Milnerton and Tijgerhof held a picket and handed a memorandum to deputy mayor Eddie Andrews outlining their concerns.
A representative, who asked not to be named due to safety concerns, said residents have been watching the increase of the sex houses and were naar of hearing “screaming women” at night.
“What has been happening is that these pimps have been buying up properties, demolishing them and building boarding houses that are being used as brothels.
“There are over 160 properties like this in all these areas and it is questionable how they get the money to buy and build like this.
“There are cases where residents have complained about the illegal building work and then they receive death threats from the owners.”
In the memorandum, the residents call on the City of Cape Town to take action against the owners who have been building illegally, and also investigate the links between the owners and organised crime syndicates.
An investigation by the Daily Voice has shown that the ownership of nearly 20 of the “problematic” properties was recently highlighted in the human trafficking trial currently under way at the Western Cape High Court.
Justin Kumlehn of the Maitland Community Police Forum said they are aware of the problems.
He accused the City of taken a “lacklustre approach” to the issues raised: “Their response, once reported, to do the investigations at these properties is dismal.
“So the notices get served, the notices get ignored and the response you generally get is that it is going through the court process.”
Andrews said he got a skrik when he heard mense are getting death threats, but promised that he is taking action.
“When I heard about the death threats, I was shocked.
“I have undertaken to establish a task team of two representatives of each ratepayers organisation where we can meet,” he added.
“We will be addressing why they are not informed of applications among other things.”
dailyvoice@inl.co.za