Vacant land breeds contempt in Fairland

The state of City-owned properties in Fairland is proving to be a major concern for residents as the unmaintained and unsecured premises provide a safe haven for criminal elements.

These are the sentiments of Ward 98 councillor Beverly Weweje who claimed that Johannesburg Property Company (JPC), an independent company, was not maintaining these properties and therefore was failing to execute its mandate and putting the community at risk. “I am of the firm belief that it is long overdue for JPC to carry out the mandate assigned to them,” she said. The two unkempt properties in question are on Still and Market streets. “Fairland has been plagued with a spike in crime of cable theft and vandalism of City Power infrastructure.

While JPC is trying to balance, fighting off accusations of corruption and controversy and having placed all the supply chain processes on hold, it is the residents who are once again negatively affected.”

Weweje added that over the past five years, various stakeholders such as Fairland police, Fairland Community Policing Forum, Beagle Watch, SCP Security and Pikitup have conducted many clean-up operations in the area. For the umpteenth time, Weweje said she had asked the company to forward her their maintenance schedule and she had also submitted a request to them for a clean-up of the two properties.

“I trust that JPC will honour their mandate as provided by the City to maintain these properties for the well-being and safety of the Fairland residents, or alternatively that the City will take the necessary actions against the entity.” At the time of going to press, Northcliff Melville Times had not received a comment from JPC.