It is alleged that the house owner died two years ago and the house was used by drug peddlers, prostitutes and illegal immigrants.
The outhouses on the premise were not destroyed.
At the time of the fire, Boksburg SAPS spokesperson Lieut Mathande Ngobese said the police would need assistance from government departments, including the municipality and the Department of Home Affairs, as well as members of the public to deal with the problem.
Acting metro spokesperson Themba Gadebe, they have the owner on record.
“It is suggested that the SAPS contact the Department of Home Affairs to ask if the owner has indeed died and find out if the owner has family. If so, the family might be the heirs to his estate,” says Gadebe.
During a visit to the house by the Advertiser, stinking piles of rubbish surrounded the yard with an infestation of flies and rodents, while a large number of used condoms could also be seen on the ground.
A resident who stays next door the alleged brothel says she filed a complaint about the smell coming from the house with municipality in November last year, and health officials from the municipality visited the house in early December.
Gadebe says a notice has been served, per registered post, to the owner, to have the house demolished in conjunction with the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality’s Building Control section.
“Since the owner has still not come forward, and is said to be deceased, it is going to be a lengthy process to demolish the building.
“As soon as the date of the notice expires, the metro will go to Court to get a demolishing order, and then the house will be demolished by a contractor from the council. The cost will be debited to the owners rates and taxes account.”
