'Pay what you owe, Gauteng'

BILKED: PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT ACCUSED OF NOT PAYING MORTUARY RENT FOR FOUR YEARS

- Masoka Dube

The Gauteng department of infrastructure development has been accused of operating a mortuary without compensating the owner of the building. The 53-year-old owner of Plaaswerf Beleggings, Hans Kelly, accused the provincial government of using his Heidelberg property without paying rent.

Kelly's problem started in 2016 when he rented out his commercial property to the Gauteng department of health to be used as a government mortuary. After the department reportedly failed to pay the R13 500 per month rent in 2020, he obtained an eviction order, had them evicted and locked the building.

"After kicking them out, two months later I received a call from the department of infrastructure development ordering me to allow the operation to continue as the matter was being sorted out. I instructed the security company to give them the keys."

"They continued using the property without paying rent and last year I took the matter to court, forcing them to pay or buy the property. The matter was postponed after the state lawyers said they needed more time to prepare. Now we are waiting for the court to give us a date for the hearing," said Kelly.