FAKE building managers and administrators have been identified as people who hijack buildings in sectional title schemes.

FAKE building managers and administrators have been identified as people who hijack buildings in sectional title schemes.

In a sectional title scheme a body corporate made up of the owners of units, collectively own and run the affairs of the building. Trustees appointed by the body corporate do the day-to-day work.

Sylvester Maepa and Moses ka Moyo of the Johannesburg Inner City Residents Forum and a department of housing official explained how hijacking happened.

They said it took one person in a body corporate to sign documents at the high court stating that the body corporate was mismanaging the building's financial affairs and that a certain individual should be appointed as managing agent.

The agent would then run the building into debt and dodge the body corporate until the city cut off services.