High-ranking leaders in Randburg met in Ferndale on 11 August to discuss how to save the suburb’s Arboretum. The conservation area which belongs to City Parks is supposed to be generally free of human visitors, but it has seen a sharp influx of vagrants in recent months. They have constructed makeshift dwellings, and residents claim they destroy the trees and catch birds with traps. City Parks, Randburg Police, Metro Police, CSS Tactical, the local Ward councillor, the Bryanfern Resident’s Association and affected residents analysed the situation and formed a plan of action.
Randburg Sector 3 Manager Warrant Officer James Swann explained that although the vagrants were trespassing, without signs denoting that to enter the area was trespassing, the vagrants could not be sentenced in a court. City Parks Park Ranger Sizwe Mabuza offered to provide the graphics for the relevant signage, and Ward 104 councillor Mike Wood said that he would organise a sponsor to print and place the signs around the area. When the signs are erected, Randburg Police and Metro Police will raid the area, and open dockets for the vagrants detained. Should vagrants be arrested within the premises a second time, they will face severe sentences in court. When these raids have taken place and the vagrants removed, residents will clean the Arboretum and again lock the gates to the area. CSS Tactical area manager Dean de Lange said that the security company will patrol the area, watching for people entering and exiting the Arboretum.
Details: City Parks 011 712 6600; Randburg Police 011 449 9000, Metro Police 011 758 9100;
Ward 104 councillor Mike Wood 082 853 2174; Bryanfern Resident’s Association bryanfernra@gmail.com, CSS Tactical 011 577 1000.
