| a) | any building is dilapidated or in a state of disrepair or shows signs thereof; |
| b) | any building or the land on which a building was or is being or is to be erected or any earthwork is dangerous or is showing signs of becoming dangerous to life or property, |
it may by notice in writing, served by post or delivered, order the owner of such building, land or earthwork, within the period specified in such notice to demolish such building or to alter or secure it in such manner that it will no longer be dilapidated or in a state of disrepair or show signs thereof or be dangerous or show signs of becoming dangerous to life or property or to alter or secure such land or earthwork in such manner that it will no longer be dangerous or show signs of becoming dangerous to life or property: Provided that if such local authority is of the opinion that the condition of any building, land or earthwork is such that steps should forthwith be taken to protect life or property, it may take such steps without serving or delivering such notice on or to the owner of such building, land or earthwork and may recover the costs of such steps from such owner.
| 2) | If the condition of any building or the land on which a building was or is being or is to be erected or any earthwork is such that it is dangerous to life or property, the owner of such building, land or earthwork shall forthwith notify the local authority in question thereof. |
| a) | If the condition of any building or the land on which a building was or is being or is to be erected or any earthwork is such that it is dangerous or is showing signs of becoming dangerous to life or property, the local authority, irrespective of whether it was notified in terms of subsection (2), may by notice in writing, served by post or delivered, order the owner of such building, land or earthwork to instruct at the cost of such owner an architect or a registered person to investigate such condition and to report to such local authority on the nature and extent of the steps to be taken, in the opinion of such architect or registered person, in order to render such building, land or earthwork safe. |
| b) | The local authority in question may by notice in writing, served by post or delivered, order that any activities be stopped or prohibit the performance of any activities which may increase the danger or hinder or obstruct the architect or registered person referred to in paragraph (a) from properly carrying out the investigation referred to in that paragraph. |
| c) | If it is brought to the attention of a local authority or appears that an architect or registered person instructed in terms of paragraph (a) to perform certain duties is for any reason not competent to carry out the duties in question, the local authority may require such architect or registered person to submit evidence of his or her competence to carry out such duties. |
| d) | If the architect or registered person contemplated in paragraph (c) is unable to satisfy the local authority of his or her competence to carry out the duties in question, the local authority may order the owner of the building, land or earthwork in question to instruct another architect or registered person to carry out the duties. |
| 4) | If the local authority in question deems it necessary for the safety of any person, it may by notice in writing, served by post or delivered- |
| a) | order the owner of any building to remove, within the period specified in such notice, all persons occupying or working or being for any other purpose in such building therefrom, and to take care that any person not authorized by such local authority does not enter such building; |
| b) | order any person occupying or working or being for any other purpose in any building, to vacate such building immediately or within a period specified in such notice. |
| 5) | No person shall occupy or use or permit the occupation or use of any building in respect of which a notice was served or delivered in terms of this section or steps were taken by the local authority in question in terms of subsection (1), unless such local authority has granted permission in writing that such building may again be occupied or used. |
| 6) | Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with any provision of this section or any notice issued thereunder, shall be guilty of an offence and, in the case of a contravention of the provisions of subsection (5), liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding RIOO for each day on which he so contravened. |
