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An abandoned police station that has been standing unused for over 20 years is pictured in Carletonville, west of Johannesburg on 10 April 2026.
Public Works and Infrastructure Minister, Dean Macpherson, has described the state of an abandoned police station in Carletonville west of Johannesburg as shocking.
The police station, which is located in the Merafong City Local Municipality, has been standing unused for over 20 years. It is now a crime hotspot.
Surrounding houses have also been hijacked and illegal landlords are renting them out.
Macpherson, who visited the police station, says his department is dealing with more than 380 hijacked properties.
“It’s 384 out of 88 000. So, while that may seem relatively low, I always say that the impact of an abandoned and hijacked property like this is so profound on a local community and our properties must never ever be sources of crime. They must contribute to the good of a community and so we are working really hard to reclaim hijacked land and buildings.”
