Concerned Community Forum (CCF) challenges Patel to tell the truth .
A COMMUNITY IGNORED, A PETITION BURIED, AND A STOLEN VICTORY
In White Blocks, Laudium, the residents haven’t just been fighting an abandoned house, they’ve been battling a system. For years, they’ve pleaded with city officials to demolish the notorious ‘White House’ at 541 Green Avenue, corner Umber Street, a structure that has become a haven for crime, drug abuse, disease, and fear. Yet, even after official inspection reports, council votes, and 1,927 signatures on a petition spearheaded by the Laudium Interim Residents Association (LIRA), the building still stands.
Now, in a twist that feels like betrayal, a different organization, the Ward 61 Residents Association, has suddenly resurfaced in May 2025, trying to claim the spotlight for a demolition campaign that LIRA and the people of White Blocks fought for, suffered through, and sustained since 2017.
THE REAL HEROES, THE PEOPLE OF WHITE BLOCKS
It was LIRA who formally submitted a petition on May 24, 2022 to Mayor Randall Williams, backed by 1,927 residents, calling for urgent action against the White House. The petition laid bare horrifying realities A breeding ground for massive rats that killed community pets.
A sanctuary for drug addicts involved in violent altercations until dawn. A site where stolen Eskom cables, tyres, and dead animals are openly burned. A hub of sexual harassment, especially targeting girls aged 8 to15, and intimidation of the elderly.
A structure so unstable that its walls are collapsing, and the stench prevents nearby residents from even opening their windows. To this day, the property remains illegally occupied, connected to illegal electricity, and owing the City of Tshwane over R2 million in unpaid rates and services.
THE PAPER TRAIL PROOF OF LIRA’S RELENTLESS WORK
On June 3, 2022, the petition was lodged with the petitions committee and on 20 October
2022, the Section 79 Petitions Committee formally heard the matter. Cllr Naeem Patel was unable to attend and sent a spokesperson on his behalf (Shakeel Bhaktawer), LIRA was represented by Lushika Mooloo, Dawood Ballim and Mohideen Hasware.
Subsequently, the petitions committee conducted a Petitions Inspection-in-loco on 14 November 2022, led by the Petitions Chairperson Shaun Wilkinson, with the recommendation being:
That the white house building be demolished as it is a drug shelter, and how many times did
the Metro Police do inspections in the area for them to conclude if there is drug use in the
said abandoned house. Demolition of the drug house be done within a year and Metro Police deal with the process, due to that the people living in that house cannot be put out to no shelter to accommodate them. (page 8 of attached document)
On March 28, 2023, Councillor Patel and Ward 61 Residents Association posted a message indicating:
Feedback on the White House Council has passed a resolution to have the ‘White House’ demolished as soon as funds become available. I just had a chat with the Chairperson of the Petitions Committee.
We will meet to discuss the role the community can play in assisting council in demolishing the building.
Thank you to all involved in this effort and most importantly thank you to the community for signing the petition.
My office has assisted with a few other municipal petitions in the Ward. A booklet from the COT on Petitions is available at my office.
BUILDING A BETTER WARD 61
No further feedback was communicated to the community following this correspondence.
The committee report dated February 22, 2024 confirms
The petition was valid, lawful, and submitted in line with the Municipal Systems Act.
The committee ordered a joint in-loco inspection, health and safety evaluation, and enforcement plan.
A resolution was drafted to demolish the structure, pending final reports and budget availability.
THE COUNCILLOR’S ROLE, A DANGEROUS DANCE OF DECEIT
Despite this, Cllr Naeem Patel sent mixed messages to residents, seemingly to play both sides.
On March 28, 2023, he publicly stated:
“Council has passed a resolution to have the ‘White House’ demolished as soon as funds
become available. Thank you to the community for signing the petition.” But then, in February 2024, he claimed the issue would again be presented before the Petitions Committee, as if no decision had ever been taken.
Why did the Councillor delay the process by reviving an issue that had already passed
through formal channels?
Why, in multiple communications, did he avoid crediting LIRA, despite their documented leadership on the petition?
A DORMANT VOICE RETURNS TO CLAIM THE VICTORY
Then came the shocking update on May 29, 2025 from the Ward 61 Residents Association:
“Update on Whitehouse Demolition
Dear Residents,
The Ward 61 Residents Association received feedback from the Deputy Executive Mayor after our meeting, regarding the Whitehouse in Whiteblocks. The City of Tshwane has resolved to demolish the building, with councillors voting unanimously in favour of the demolition. The next step is securing a budget for demolition. The City is also exploring a potential partnership with the community for the demolition and will revert to us soon.
Ward 61 Residents Association.”
This statement landed like a slap in the face to those who had carried the burden for years. The Ward 61 Residents Association had remained entirely dormant throughout the entire ‘White House’ debacle. They did not initiate or support the petition, did not attend the hearings, did not advocate for inspections, and were completely absent during all critical phases of community engagement. And yet, they reappeared at the final hour, issuing an “official update” as though they had championed the cause all along.
This was not merely a misunderstanding, it was a blatant hijacking of the struggle led by LIRA and the deeply affected residents of White Blocks.
RESIDENTS SPEAK OUT, “WE ARE TIRED OF BEING USED…”
In an emotional statement submitted on February 17, 2024, the community wrote:
“Our children are exposed to drugs daily. Our elderly are harassed. Our pets are eaten by rats. This is not just a petition, it’s our cry for help.”
They went further:
“We hope the Petitions Committee will be sympathetic to our concerns.”
Now, they’re asking tougher questions.
– Why is Cllr Patel aligned with an association that appeared only at the end?
– Why hasn’t the property been attached and auctioned to recover the R2 million owed?
– Why did Cllr Patel fail to act when the Petitions Committee had already resolved the matter?
A STOLEN STRUGGLE, A DELAYED DELIVERANCE
The City of Tshwane may finally move on demolition. But what the people of White Blocks want more than bulldozers is recognition, that it was their fight, their pain, and their petition that drove this decision. This is not a political prize. This is a public crisis, and its resolution was built on the backs of forgotten residents, not committee boardrooms or clever PR. If justice is to be done, it must begin with acknowledging LIRA’s leadership, holding Cllr Patel accountable for political manipulation, and calling out those who tried to rewrite the record for fame, power, or photo ops.
Until then, the fight continues, not just against the ‘White House’.
Concerned Community Forum
See It. Say It. Fix It. Together!!!
The Laudium Interim Residents Association (LIRA) was dissolved following sustained pressure from Cllr Patel. This pressure stemmed from LIRA’s refusal to comply with his demands or operate as a token or “copy and paste” entity aligned to his agenda Subsequently, the Ward 61 Residents Association (WRA) was formed—seemingly to counter the work LIRA had been doing. In light of this, LIRA took the principled decision to dissolve itself, reasoning that if the newly formed WRA was being supported by the Councillor and claimed to represent the community, then continuing to operate would only introduce political tensions and power struggles. However, WRA went dormant for more than a year, thus the Concerned Community Forum was recently formed and all of a sudden WRA again emerged with Cllr Patel promoting it once more.
White Blocks residents fed up with empty promises… just want ‘White House’ blackened for criminals
A number of residents from Laudium’s White Blocks area told the Laudium Sun that they are frustrated and tired with the promises being made by Cllr Patel each time concerning the demolition of the ‘White House’ on Umber Street.
Herewith some of the comments… Michelle Pillay, a resident of Umber Street, Laudium, told the Laudium Sun, “Regarding the ‘White House’ in White Blocks, this matter has been ongoing for years with no positive outcome. It has become a haven for criminals and drug addicts and it’s an absolute eyesore. The property poses a serious health risk to the people of Umber Street, as there are rodents as big as cats. We have young, growing children living on this street and in every other street in White Blocks, which is deeply concerning, as they walk past this house daily. With drug users and criminals occupying the house—people who are not of sound mind—the worst could happen to our young boys and girls. And then, it will be too late to try and fix the issue. There’s been a number of Metro Police, politicians and Cllr Patel has been here also many times. He has also been here in 2024, for a photoshoot and a parade with the Mayor, promising that the ‘White House’ would be demolished. Yet to date, nothing has come of it—not even an attempt to at least clean up the place. I would like to know: What are the Councillor’s real intentions regarding this matter? Please, Councillor, do not come back with the same tired excuse that there are no funds to clean up the place and remove the vagrants. For once, can you man up and do what is right—for the right reasons? Councillor, why can’t you clean up the ‘White House’ and secure funding to turn it into a center for the community’s children? Instead of sucking in our youth, the White House could become a place of learning—a center not only for drug rehabilitation but also for providing classes to underprivileged children who can’t afford extra tuition. It could even house a soup kitchen. These would be positive and meaningful ways to utilize this wasted space.”
Roger Naidoo, another resident of Umber Street, Laudium, told the Laudium Sun, “Cllr Patel has been promising us for years that the ‘White House’ will be demolished—but it’s been year after year, and still, nothing has been done. We’re starting to lose hope because, honestly, we can’t expect anything to happen anymore. Drug dealers and addicts have completely taken over the house. We really want Cllr Patel to do something about it, instead of just making big, empty promises on his WhatsApp group. We’re tired and fed up with all the talking. What we need now is action.”