Vagrants on both the Bill Stuart Nature Reserve and Kloof Road have frustrated residents living in the vicinity.
The ward 20 councillor, Clr Jill Humphreys, has called for a property to be demolished after it was found that vagrants had made it their home.
“It is not fair to the neighbours and the filth on the property is unbelievable. I have already reported the matter to the relevant department and a surprise visit has been planned between the SAPS, CPF and security companies,” she said.
Clr Humphreys added that the house where the vagrants live needs to be cleared out.
“Although it is privately owned, if the owners do not take responsibility the municipality will step in and clean up the area,” she added.
One resident posted on Facebook, “Two tents in the Bill Stewart Nature Reserve. The two guys living there, from the Eastern Cape, told me they have been staying there for two to three months. They said they like the peace and quiet afforded to them by their new Bedfordview address. The rubbish surrounding this camp has to be seen to be believed”.
Meanwhile, Clr Humphreys has launched a Take Back the Mountain campaign to stop the grass on the reserve from overgrowing.
She hosts clean-up meetings monthly.
Clr Humphreys indicated that she was working on getting permanent security personnel placed in the reserve as it had become a haven for criminals.
“Just two weeks ago, a woman was raped on her way to work. When maintenance staff go up the masts to work, they have their equipment and sometimes cars, stolen by criminals who live in the space. The criminals target innocent members of the public,” she said.
A homeless man, Mr Makhanana Sambo, told the NEWS that although he does not do crime, he understands why home owners and motorists do not take kindly to them.
“Some of these boys actually leave their homes to camp in the areas they target. They plot their crimes, which then puts all of us under the same umbrella,” he added.
