Almost two years after the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) notified its employees that they had to seek alternative accommodation because the corporation was disposing of the flats they were staying in, and the properties were still without tenants. Soon after the alleged "auction" of these properties that are said to have taken place at the public broadcaster headquarters in Auckland Park, Joburg, there has never been any sign of occupation at these flats, except for the illegal occupants, who had to be forcefully removed by the notorious Red Ants security guards.
The flats are located in Mmabatho's Unit 7 and were built by the then Bophuthatswana Bantustan government to accommodate its employees at Radio Bop, Radio Mmabatho, Bop TV and Mmabatho TV. After the demise of Bophuthatswana government in 1994, these flats were inherited by the SABC, which was merged with the then-Bophuthatswana Broadcasting Corporation.
After this process unfolded, the general maintenance at these premises deteriorated. At the moment, windows are broken, and pieces of the fence have been cut off even though there is security guarding the flats. Another property belonging to the SABC is a vandalised house on Tillard Street, Golf View, in the Mahikeng CBD. Neighbours staying in the vicinity have voiced their dissatisfaction as the house is used by "nyaope" addicts and other criminals who hide there to pounce on innocent citizens and rob them of their belongings.
There are allegations that these properties were sold to private owners. Those in the know say it does not make business sense to acquire a residential property and leave it vacant for close to four years whilst also employing a security company for its safeguarding. Accommodation is in demand in Mahikeng, given the high volume of students enrolling at the North West University's Mahikeng Campus.
It is not only in Unit 7; another property has been vacant for years. The townhouses in Unit 1, behind the library next to the old parliament, has also become a white elephant. Invaders also illegally occupied this property three years ago and were forcefully evicted by the Red Ants. Since the incident, the gates to this property have been locked, and it is still vacant.
As the North West Housing Corporation did not know who it belonged to, no one knows who this property's owner(s) is/are. A source at the Housing Corporation confirmed that only Kagiso Flats and Wimpy Flats belonged under the Corporation's curatorship. SABC spokesperson, Mmoni Seapolelo said the SABC could confirm that having followed the processes required in terms of the PFMA, the disposal of non-core assets was a part of the organisation's Turnaround Strategy to ensure that the business invests in relevant assets, which are in line with and focused on the core business of the public broadcaster.
"The selling of non-core assets also assisted in a much-needed cash injection towards funding critical infrastructure projects. A total of 19 houses and a block of flats comprising 60 units in Mahikeng was auctioned on May 19th, 2021, in a public auction to ensure a fair and transparent process that yielded maximum market value for the properties.
"All the tenants who occupied these properties were issued with timeous notices of termination of lease agreements. Only a handful of properties are still to change ownership as these remain the subject of a matter before the court, and we await the outcome," said Seapolelo.
