Boundary wall on Isipingo Road continues to cause havoc in Paulshof
PAULSHOF – What was meant to be a peaceful meeting between various stakeholders, turned into an intensely heated argument over a boundary wall on Isipingo Road which some residents have labelled as a form of discrimination.
The protagonists were residents of Paulshof Hill, members of Leeuwkop prison, Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru), Joburg Property Company (JPC), Eskom and the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA).
From the onset of the meeting, many residents expressed their disapproval of the wall stating that it was built only for the minority and excluded many community members.
However, members of Paulshof Working Group maintain that the wall was built after being approved by residents of Paulshof Hill in a public meeting. Lita Jacobsen, member of the Paulshof Working Group said, “We invited Paulshof Hill residents on three separate occasions to vote – and 95 percent of the Paulshof Hill community voted for the wall three times,” she said.
Makhosini Kharodi, secretary of the African National Congress for Ward 93 had different views. “You cannot have a meeting where only a select few are allowed to vote – what voting is that?” he asked.
According to Kharodi, not all community members were invited to the meeting, making the meeting null and void.
Jacobsen added that all the Paulshof Working Group did was reinforce an existing structure by erecting the boundary wall (which was already there in a form of a palisade fence). “Erf 119 title deeds clearly state that it is not to be used as a thoroughfare under any circumstance, as a result all that was done was reinforce an existing structure by building the wall.”
She said based on that, the Paulshof Hill Working group had no plans to install a gate (which would provide a thoroughfare) as that would be classified as illegal.
Ward 93 councillor Annette Deppe confirmed that members of the Paulshof Hill Working group failed to follow the correct procedures in erecting the wall. Speaking on behalf of JRA Region A, Niels Mahlo, confirmed that an application was not received from Paulshof Hill residents to erect the wall and no permission was granted for the erection of the wall.
Although Paulshof Hill Working group stated that they had received permission from Eskom, the utility’s representative, Themba Dlamini stated that no permission was granted by Eskom for the wall to be built.
Mpho Motloung of JPC said, “… Whoever wants to erect a wall must still get permission from JPC, and other departments.”
Regional director of Region A, Abigail Ndlovu, who had called the meeting said, “Based on what I’ve heard from the community… It’s clear that there is a gap.”
As a result Ndlovu scheduled a second meeting which will be held on 27 January.
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