Eventide Home, school under threat from urban decay

Urban decay is creeping into the central Dundee area causing once gracious homes to become shelters for criminals.
Lower Beaconsfield Street, in the vicinity of Eventide Home, has been particularly hard hit.
Barely three properties down from Standard Bank and opposite Eventide, a shell of a house is causing concern for those doing banking and for visitors and residents at Eventide.
The ramshackle home is said to be a hang-out for street kids and other ‘undesirables’ – some of whom harass people entering and exiting Eventide.
Residents who spoke to the Courier said they hoped that the police or Council would do something about
the situation which was ‘causing great unpleasantness’. Speaking at a Ward 2 committee meeting, Councillor Anthon Raubenheimer said he would take the matter up with the municipality’s legal department who would write a letter to the owners’ of the property. There is currently a For Sale sign on the remains of the building. “If need be the municipality can also issue a notice declaring the building unfit for human habitation and force the removal of all those taking shelter there,” he said.
Dundee Primary under siege

Litter and a broken precast do not deter hawkers, vagrants and even criminals from gaining access to Dundee Primary
Dundee Primary School on Victoria Street is also under siege from vagrants taking shelter at dilapidated houses on Smith Street, adjacent to the school. Principal, I Msimang, said he has complained to the authorities several times. The houses are right next to the school and the people living there sometimes stroll around the property naked.
“We have young children at the school and this is not conducive to a productive schooling environment. Some of the people living there may also be using drugs,” he said.
Litter, coming from a vacant plot next to the school and from the houses, is also thrown on to school property.
Mr Msimang is also concerned by the effect the hawkers at the taxi rank are having on the school. The vendors are crammed up next to the precast wall facing Smith Street and simply pile up their rubbish behind the wall and on to the school grounds.
The discard includes glass liquor bottles, tyres, a circuit board and other domestic waste. “We wanted to put up a playground here but we can’t because of what we have here. Even pieces of the pre-cast wall have disappeared.” Previously, the vendors were caught hooking up to the school’s electricity supply via an illegal connection – with the school paying the bill.
Educator, N Buthelezi, brought up the issues at the Ward 2 committee meeting and Councillor Raubenheimer promised to have the municipality’s legal department investigate the situation.