A Somerset West family home built a century ago has been targeted by criminals, who broke into the premises and allegedly set it alight in the early hours of last Wednesday morning (26 July).
Everything in the home, in Reitz Street near the intersection with Victoria Street, was reduced to ashes – and is the latest residence in the Helderberg that many suspect has fallen victim to loitering vagrants, who are strongly accused by the community of committing acts of petty crime that ultimately lead to the destruction of a house so they may return and pillage it later.
A family spokesperson who asked not to be named said that when the woman who lived in the house had died, her daughter had stayed there for a while before electricity cables leading to the house were stolen. The daughter was too emotional to go on record.
“The daughter decided to stay elsewhere due to increasing crime, and so the house was not occupied,” the family friend said.
“Since then every couple of weeks there has been a break-in. The home has been burgled about six or seven times already.”
The person added vagrants that sleep in an open field next to the house are the prime suspects.
“They always trespass on the property, and some of them are known to be petty criminals and opportunists. When the daughter got a call this morning after 05:00 she rushed to the house and it was up in flames.
“She was totally heartbroken and it was so hard to see. The fireman informed her the front window was broken when they got there, which indicates a burglary. The fire also appeared to have been deliberately started.”
Jermaine Carelse, spokesperson for the City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Service, confirmed the incident was reported around 05:00 as a dwelling alight at the corner of Victoria and Reitz Street.
“Crews from Somerset West, Sir Lowry’s Pass and Strand were on scene with two fire trucks and a rescue vehicle. This was an abandoned building and the assistance of the South African Police Service was requested.
“The heritage dwelling sustained major damage. It would appear someone was using the kitchen section of the house. However, on our arrival no-one was present. The fire was extinguished at approximately 06:30 and the cause is undetermined.”
The home, occupied by the Heunis family, has been passed on for generations and holds much sentimental value to the extended family. A family member at the scene said they grew up creating memories, and their grandparents were well-known in the community, as the grandmother used to run a maternity house and the grandfather used to be the postmaster back in the day.
“There are many priceless items that have been lost in this fire, and we’re concerned about what may happen next,” she said, adding that she feared the house would now be looted and vandalised, and was at risk of becoming a problem building.
This is the second such incident in Somerset West over the past couple months following a home in Bridgewater which was looted and also set alight, allegedly by vagrants (Disaster on repeat for Bridgewater property, DistrictMail & Helderberg Gazette, 12 July).. Anyone who wishes to assist the family in safeguarding the home against invasion, can phone 083 657 9771.
