The GF Jooste Hospital has been hit by a number of incidents of vandalism and theft since its closure. In a bid to stem further damage, the City of Cape Town is appealing to residents with tip-offs to come forward. The site has suffered damage in recent months, with the City’s CCTV system recording at least 13 incidents in the last four weeks, including suspicious people on site, suspected drug offences, and two people caught in possession of stolen property.

“Our CCTV observations back up recent reports that there are certainly elements who are taking advantage of the vacated hospital site. Problem buildings are a big headache in the city and are known crime generators and that is why I have decided to investigate what we as the City can do to arrest the situation at GF Jooste, given that gang violence is already such a big problem in the Manenberg area,” said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith.

The City’s informant reward policy allows for payments of up to R1 000 for information leading to an arrest or fine being issued for acts of theft and vandalism. Informants would be required to submit as much evidence as possible, including sworn affidavits, photographs or video footage, as well as clear identification of vehicles and/or suspects involved.

Witnesses may be required to testify in court if the suspects contest the matter and opt for a trial instead of pleading guilty. In addition, the City has also stepped up Metro Police and Law Enforcement patrols in the vicinity to help secure the premises and has started searching the surrounding community and local scrapyards to try and retrieve stolen items and lay charges against those responsible where possible.

“I am hoping that our reward system will result in some whistle-blowers coming forward with information that could lead to more arrests than the two on record. However, I would like to believe that people would not only be motivated by the prospect of a cash reward, but able to see that speaking out against criminal activity is the right thing to do. Allowing crime to flourish in this manner will only lead to the degradation of the physical environment and the social fabric and that is why we need to act,” added Smith.

Members of the public can report suspected criminal activity related to the hospital site on 021 596 1999 or the City’s 107 Public Emergency Call Centre. Cellphone users need to dial 021 480 7700. VOC