Resident fed up with overcrowding

Overcrowding in residential properties within Edenvale still remains a problem that gets under the skin of ordinary citizens.

For Mr Diekie Du Rand, who has been living on Twelfth Avenue for the past six years, overcrowding in residential houses is a personal issue.

According to Mr Du Rand, the property neighboring his family’s home is one of the overcrowded houses that can be found in Edenvale.

“In Edenvale there is a lack of affordable accommodation. Many of the people who choose to stay in cramped and sometimes unhygienic conditions have no other option other than staying in an informal settlement. Many are good and decent people who just have no other option for accommodation,” said the ward 18 councillor, Clr Heather Hart.

Mr Du Rand said the area has had constant problems with overcrowding and what he claims are chop shops.

He said the house on Twelfth Avenue is busiest over the weekend.

When he asked a resident of the property how many people were living on the property, he was told 20 people.

“But there are more,” said Mr Du Rand.

“Essentially, when dealing with matters of overcrowding, there are two routes that can be followed. Via city planning where a contravention notice is served and the property owner is allowed time to rectify the matter. Assuming it is not rectified, the matter has to be escalated to legal services, which can take years. Alternatively, EMPD or SAPS intervention can be initiated where the property is usually raided and a search is done. It is hoped that due to police services being involved there is then a greater degree of cooperation which can speed up the resolution of the problem. In this particular case, (Mr Du Rand), Clr Bill Rundle referred the matter to City Planning,” said Clr Hart.

“What are we paying rates and taxes for? At one point the rubbish was just dumped on the pavement, which led to a rise in the rat population,” said Mr Du Rand.

He said on countless occasions there has been litter on his pavement, which he said was possibly from next door. He has picked up condom packets off his pavement multiple times in the past.

Due to a lack of progress, Clr Rundle asked for Clr Hart’s involvement and as the DA Shadow MMC for City Planning, she was able to assist and referred the matter back to the City Planning and Building Inspectorate for fresh investigation.

“One reason for the delay was because there was an inability to serve notice to the property owner who stays in the Free State. Since then, notices were reissued however when they continued to be ignored the matter was handed over to the legal services. The matter is now awaiting the serving of the notice by the Sheriff of the Bloemfontein Court,” said Clr Hart.

“The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM) is bound by bylaws, regulations and relevant legislature and has no option but to abide by those.”

Mr Du Rand said he feels unsafe.

“It should never be like this. I am trying to sell my property to move away from the area, but I am battling to sell because the value has dropped. I can’t fight every weekend,” he said.

According to the EMM’s spokesperson, Mr Themba Gadebe, the EMM’s environmental health practitioner of the area visited the premises with officials from City Planning and Building Control on April 28.

“It was found that no immediate environmental health nuisances were found, but City Planning as well as the Building Control Unit has initiated legal steps against the owner on the grounds of operating a boarding house in contravention with the zoning requirements, as well as building control contraventions,” said Mr Gadebe.

“From an environmental health point, the premises will be monitored regularly and action taken as required,” he said.

“My recommendation to property owners is that there are provisions made in the Ekurhuleni Town Planning for densification and/or guest or boarding houses, which can formalise these room rentals and that they are welcome to contact me for advice or my recommendations,” said Clr Hart.