A resident calls for action on Club Street in Sandringham, where vagrants have illegally taken residence, resulting in the area turning into a dumping site.
Sandringham resident Felicia van Rooyen said she recently noticed a group of men, who have made an illegal residence on the corner of Club Street, directly opposite Sandringham High School.
She said they have set up illegal structures on the sidewalk and are living in them.
Van Rooyen said they are also illegally dumping piles of plastic bags and dirt.
“It is becoming really dirty and unsightly. The litter is becoming really bad. I also fear that there may be a future element of crime that may come from these illegal activities,” said Van Rooyen.
Khumbuzile Cele, regional manager for Norwood Pikitup Depot, said a clean-up campaign, jointly with the JMPD, was held in August at the site.
“It has now become a challenge as the vagrants have come back and made a mess once again. It is a by-law enforcement issue the JMPD has to handle,” said Cele.
Cele said the area has become a ‘hotspot’ for Pikitup.
She said Pikitup has been doing weekly litter pick-ups and in some instances, the vagrants have attacked the Pikitup staff, while trying to remove the dirt.
“The area needs regular patrolling by the JMPD to ensure the vagrants do not return,” said Cele.
She said the mess caused by the vagrants is now moving onto the private property on Club Street.
“We will be doing a clean-up once again on November 29, as it is a major concern for us,” said Cele.
She said clean-up trucks have been sent every month since August to Club Street, but the situation is ongoing.
A request for comment was sent to CoJ and JMPD on November 28 at 12pm.
Comment was requested by November 29 at 9am. By the time of going to print, no comment was received.
