For many years, landlords have been taking advantage of this situation by letting their houses to companies and non-governmental organisations.
The majority of residential flats in the Avenues area have now been taken over by commercial concerns.
One landlord said he lived in his cottage and let a business tenant occupy the main house as a way of augmenting his income.
“Due to unemployment I converted my main house into offices while I stay with my family in the cottage. I get $1,400 for letting the main house, and that is equivalent to the salary earned by a manager,” said an Avondale West resident who spoke on condition of anonymity. – Thabani Dube
Other home-owners have turned their houses into business premises. Samuel Magirazi of Waterfalls said he ran a preschool at his house as a means of earning a living.
“I did not apply to council because this is my property and I do what I want with it. In fact I bought a Kombi and converted half of my house into a nursery school over which my wife is the manager and we employ a driver, a teacher and two care-givers as staff,” Magirazi said.
Council vowed to take action against offenders, but did not specify how and when.
Post published in: News