Lack of security in Illiondale concerns residents

Security concerns in Illiondale have highlighted the community’s worries about an easily accessible open veld behind Cecil Awret Road.

Illiondale resident Lisa Dalgleish said criminals, who break into properties in the suburb, use the open land to gain access.

Cosmopolitan Central Developments has marked the land in question for development.

According to Ward 18 Clr Heather Hart, the development could see 3 000 units constructed between the P91, Sebenza and Illiondale and at least 1 000 additional vehicles travelling through Illiondale.

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She said Cecil Awret Road will be used to access the development.

It is set to have two entrances, one on Crawford Road, the southern side where 2 000 units will be located, and the second will emerge from ERF460, the northern side where 1 000 units are set to be built.

Previously Hart stated that if the development gets the green light Illiondale’s beloved peace, quiet and local green spaces might be destroyed.

However, she highlighted that the community is not against the development itself but rather the use of Cecil Awret Road as an access route.

This was further emphasised by community representative and community policing forum member Dalgleish.

“We are not objecting to the development, we are objecting to them using our road as an access point. We are not stopping anyone from starting construction, go ahead, but just don’t use our road.”

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The fear is that once the development is built Cecil Awret Road, considered a quiet suburban road, will become a main thoroughfare and have an increased number of motorists using the road.

Not only is the community worried about the number of additional vehicles but also the deterioration of infrastructure such as roads.

To try and address some of the security concerns Dalgleish said she met with the developer’s security manager for the area.

She and the security manager walked a portion of the property and discussed issues of concern with a caretaker.

“We have a huge gaping piece of land where the development will occur at some point.

“It could be a year from now or 10 years from now we don’t know,” said Dalgleish.

Dalgleish said, “We highlighted that this piece of land is unmanned by any form of security.

“It’s is huge, you can’t see the other side of it and to try and monitor it 24/7 with our security is an unfair request.”

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Dalgleish said she was informed that two caretakers stayed on the property.

“The caretaker is a civilian with no security training and no form of protection such as a baton, panic button or pepper spray.”

She said the groups of criminals who use the land to get access to the properties, on the eastern side of Cecil Awret, are often made up of four to five men armed with pangas and firearms.

It is also believed that a group of individuals live on the property.

“On average, there is at least one break in committed each month in Illiondale, which is one too many.”

Dalgleish said the security concerns were submitted to the developer in the hopes of getting assistance.

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“I told them that they [the developers] have this vacant land, there are plans to develop on it but there are no confirmed timelines.

“In the interim, for the sake of the community that is already here, invest in some kind of barrier to keep vagrants and criminals from walking through the land. We are asking them to construct a perimeter wall,” she said.

Response from Cosmopolitan Central Developments

Cosmopolitan Central Developments said it is always cognisant of the needs of the communities surrounding developments and tries to cooperate with them as far as reasonably possible.

“In this case, we believe that we have done all that can reasonably be expected from us.

“We cannot be held responsible for securing other parties’ properties, especially since we are prevented from developing this piece of land due to a list of objections by the community,” said the developers.

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Head of communications Alda Erasmus said since the land in question is still a piece of vacant land with no other structures or assets. Extensive security measures are not required.

Erasmus confirmed that two caretakers live on a property bordering on the vacant land.

“They are not security guards and are not trained to be either. Their sole responsibility is to monitor that no illegal dumping occurs on the land and that squatters do not occupy it illegally,” she said.

Addressing the concern of individuals living on the land, Erasmus said: “There are no other occupants on our land.

We have never found anyone else living on our property. It is worth mentioning, that there seem to be people living illegally on the neighbouring piece of vacant land that another developer owns.”

She said the caretakers work with an in-house security team to do regular inspections. Inspections include daytime and night-time drone surveillance of the property.

When questioned whether more could be done to secure the vacant land, Erasmus said just like any property owner, Cosmopolitan Central Developments is responsible for securing its own property.

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She said the property has been secured to the extent needed to mitigate the developer’s risk.

“If we cannot develop it, we cannot invest more than we currently have. Even if we were in a position to increase security by, for example, constructing a boundary wall strong enough to prevent intruders, we are currently not allowed to do so. Any type of temporary fence will not prevent intruders.”

Erasmus said should Cosmopolitan Central Developments continue with the development, it will construct a boundary wall around it to secure its assets.