Individuals living on municipal land in Isandovale have left Ward 18 Clr Heather Hart at her wits’ end as she and the municipality determine how to deal with them.
The open piece of land is located along Baker Road between the Sebenza Cemetery and the Isandovale Wetland.
Although palisade perimeter wall surrounds the piece of land it is damaged at several places allowing anyone easy access to the municipal land.
According to Hart the perimeter wall and individuals living on the land became a problem for the community in 2012.
“I just get sent from pillar to post by the municipal departments in trying to deal with the problem of vagrants, recyclers and the homeless,” said Hart.
She said in 2012 a summit, held in Kempton Park, was hosted by the Department of Social Development, in partnership with other municipal stakeholders.
In 2017 Hart explained the summit, which included provincial departments, in detail to the NEWS.
“A policy started to be formalised, but it never saw the light of day,” said Hart.
In Hart’s opinion, it’s because no department wants to take accountability of the problem.
In 2019 Edenvale stakeholders, comprised of religious leaders, ward councillors, business owners, SAPS and EMPD came together in another attempt to find a solution of vagrants, recyclers and the homeless in Edenvale.
Although short-term strategies were agreed upon, no long-term solution was found.
“The biggest problem is that Edenvale’s homeless problem is compounded by jobseekers who come from other areas,” said Hart.
She said some of those who are unable to find work either end up living on Edenvale’s streets or find temporary shelter around Edenvale.
“Another problem is that there is no recycling strategy which leads to uncontrolled recycling. In this case, the people living on the municipal land don’t have a site to strip their material so anything that can’t be recycled is thrown aside and makes its way into the wetland, which is slowly being destroyed.
“The same can be said about previously well maintained industrial areas like Eastleigh, Sebenza and Isando.”
Hart said because the land in question belongs to the Department of Real Estate they would need to initiate the process of removing the individuals.
She said the department would need to liaise with the departments of social development and home affairs along with the EMPD.
She said even before the people are relocated they would need to be given notice in terms of the law.
Speaking on the safety of the area, Hart said she had received several emails from community members regarding the safety of Sebenza and Isandovale.
“With the openings in the boundary wall and the overgrown vegetation of the wetland, it would be the prime location for a criminal to wait in the vegetation and target a pedestrian or stranded motorist.”
Although the route is frequented by pedestrians daily, Hart urged community members to exercise caution.
When the NEWS previously visited the site in question in August with Isandovale resident Craig Techow, he raised concerns of criminal elements hiding among the recyclers near the cemetery.
At the time the NEWS and Techow were on site, they met Alpheus Mbongeni, a recycler living in the veld along Baker Road.
Mbongeni, originally from Germiston, moved to Edenvale in 2016 in the hopes of better employment opportunities. He turned to recycling cardboard and plastic to support his wife and children.
Each month he makes approximately R500 from the items he recycles.
“I am trying to make an honest living. If I didn’t recycle, I don’t know what I would be doing,” said Mbongeni.
Mbongeni said in the time he has lived in Edenvale he has not been harassed by community members and property owners.
“Maybe once or twice a year police officers chases us away. They say the stuff we collect is rubbish so they throw it away. Once they throw away what we collect we have to start again. It can be hard.”
A request for comment was sent to the City of Ekurhuleni on December 8 requesting comment by December 10 at 1.30 pm.
At the time of going to print no comment was received.
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