THE Green with Envy nursery site, which has been vacant for a number of years, continues to be an eyesore in the Musgrave area. The property was left vacant when the popular café and nursery vacated the premises, leaving it to become overgrown, a haven for the homeless and criminals, and a cause for concern for surrounding residents.
Speaking to Berea Mail, resident Mark Anderson, who lives close to the nursery site, says he’s been a Musgrave resident for four years and can’t remember a time when the space wasn’t a problem. “The place has been stripped of almost anything valuable. The grass is terribly overgrown, and recently, in the last month, the roof of one of the buildings has been stripped.”
Standing in one of the three buildings on the vacant lands, Anderson points out that the people living in the dilapidated building can see directly into the homes and properties below. “The entire place is just a major eyesore; it is also a place to hide out for criminals because it is too dangerous for any residents to venture onto the property.”
According to Ward 31 councillor Remona Mckenzie, the Green with Envy property has been left abandoned by government, and this has left many residents in the surrounding areas concerned, angered and disappointed with the lack of urgency and services.
“During Christopher Pappas’ time as a councillor, this property was earmarked to be used by the Department of Environmental Affairs. The premises are now left abandoned with overgrown vegetation, and it’s become a haven for the homeless and criminals. This brings the property value down in the surrounding area. This property is not maintained by the department, despite the many emails and calls from residents, and despite the fact that it is located in a well-developed area, where residents pay high rates and taxes, there is no concern by the department,” said Mckenzie.
The councillor is calling for the Public Works Department to address the current situation. “It is unacceptable that facilities such as these are left to be vandalised and stripped. These facilities could have been utilised for office space or other projects.”
According to the eThekwini Municipality spokesperson, Gugu Sisilana, the property is not owned by the City.
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