KLOOF resident, Jack Arslanian, has lived in his home on Pioneer Road for decades and due to the recent spike in crime and house robberies, mostly attributed to the dirty, overgrown Transnet railway line, is the reason he and many others are considering relocating.
According to Arslanian, Transnet dropped the ball a few years ago as the verges and weeds on the railway line were always kept neat and clear, but it all ended when the railway was no longer in use.
“I have contacted Transnet a number of times and they keep saying that there is a contractual issue holding up the tender process issued out to a company that would do the clean-up,” he said.
The committee of Highway CPF leaders, which includes the Kloof CPF, has previously raised money to clean up the some parts of the railway, but the amount raised could only cover a small portion of the line which runs through from Pinetown to Inchanga.
“With the money raised, we were able to employ two gentlemen, who we supplied with a spray to stop alien invasive plants from growing. We know that is not enough. With better funding, we can cut the overgrown weeds and ultimately curb the crime in our area,” said the chairman of the Kloof CPF, Nikki Mohlmann.
According to Mohlmann, the CPF has always had a great relationship with Transnet and the issues only started when Transnet had to move the clean-up services to areas that needed it the most because of the lack of funds.
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Transnet has, however, hired security guards to patrol around and through the railway area since it was marked as a haven and access point for vagrants and criminals.
“The guards are a great help, but unfortunately they do not patrol the areas that have overgrown weeds as it is not safe, even for them,” she added.
Mohlmann added that there are more than two housebreaking cases reported each week.
According to the Pinetown Cluster’s communications officer, Bongumusa Manqele, SAPS has since intensified crime prevention operations in the area.
“Regular patrols are being conducted with the help of other relevant stakeholders and we are hoping to curb these crimes. Transnet has also deployed their guards along the railway, in addition to the police hut. There are two guards who work day shift and two during night shift,” he said.
Transnet was contacted on Friday, 12 April and an enquiry was made via telephone and email but no response was received at the time of going to print.
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