NYAOPES are taking over old buildings in Brakpan, Ekurhuleni and this has residents worried.
They said the nyaopes not only strip the buildings, but also cause fires.
On Friday, 19 January, the Brakpan Library, which opened in 1932, went up in flames because of a fire that was allegedly caused by nyaopes.
Residents said the library had been neglected lately and they blamed Ekurhuleni Municipality for neglecting it.
"We understand this library was supposed to be renovated, but instead it was left to be stripped by nyaopes. They have been living there, making fires to smoke and burning cables. It was just chaotic," said a resident.
Residents said there was a time when the community policing forum (CPF) chased out the nyaopes, but they returned.
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They said that the fire on Friday was huge.
"Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services tried to extinguish the fire, but most of the building was already damaged. The building had been taken over by the homeless and nyaope addicts and there was no way it could have survived," said resident Emily Nkabinde.
"I've lived in this area for a while. I'm renting a flat and what I've noticed is that Brakpan is deteriorating by day. We see our municipality has neglected the old buildings in this town."
Another resident, Rosa Du Preez said she grew up using the library and seeing it gutted by fire was painful. "We lost memories which will never be replaced," she said.
Residents fear other old buildings in the area might suffer the same fate as homeless people have taken over.
Daily Sun noticed that nyaopes are also living in a health centre, which is another old building situated opposite the burned library.
"They once broken into the health centre building, who knows what's next. There's a TVET college nearby. They could have used the library instead of it being left to nyaope addicts," said a resident.
Ekurhuleni municipal spokesman Zweli Dlamini said they will look into the matter.
