Property owner concerned with deteriorating Glenharvie

A property owner is concerned about illegal activities and the deterioration of Glenharvie bringing down property values.

Mosha Dada said he is concerned about the tenants renting her property in Glenharvie. According to her, the grass and trees are never being trimmed and the area has no working streetlights, contributing to the high crime rate. She also added that her tenants have been suffering from regular armed robberies due to a shortage of lighting and a lack of maintenance.

Another concern is the set of containers on the municipal property next to hers. She has stated that the containers were illegally placed in the area and are now being used by people to sleep in.

She further raised concerns about the amount of loitering in the area. A large part of the area is filled with waste such as alcohol bottles and plastics. Dada also claimed that the refuse is not being collected whatsoever. Currently, her property along with the municipal property is almost taken over by hawkers/street vendors.

Not only is her property a concern to her, but the state of Glenharvie itself raises unease. She is worried about the matter of Glenharvie not receiving the needed maintenance. One of the concerns is that there is no welcome sign to let individuals know that they are entering Glenharvie. She has also stated that the grass and trees are not being attended to.

“Glenharvie is a mining town which brings support to surrounding areas. Therefore it is very important to ensure that Glenharvie is looked after,” Dada stated.

Dada has been sending various emails to the municipality to inform them of the desperate circumstances. One email pertained to refuse removal where she stated that there are no waste bins and the dirt is not being removed. She mentioned the trees in the veld have not been cut for years and in another, she mentioned the necessity of removing the illegal containers, hawkers, and taverns that are selling unlicensed liquor on municipal grounds.

According to Dada, her emails have been sent to all the ward councillors of Glenharvie.

On June 4, Dada sent out an email stating that she had sent many emails to the municipality without a response and she also pleaded for assistance.

She noted that she did receive a response from Gladys Ramosana from the Rand West City Local Municipality (RWCLM).

Ramosana has since emailed various councillors on June 5. The email read, “Below is a trail of emails emanating from a dissatisfied customer who is raising complaints as articulated in the highlighted mail below. You are requested to ensure that the issues are attended to and that feedback is provided to the office. Kindly liaise directly with the complainant.”

The Herald also received feedback from municipal spokesperson, Phillip Montshiwa who stated that he had contacted the district and was informed that they would be sending an inspector to investigate the illegal activity.

“This incident should have been promptly reported to the police, as criminal matters fall within the purview of law enforcement. Property owners have the legal prerogative to pursue eviction through judicial channels with the possibility of involving law enforcement for necessary arrests,” Phillip responded.

However, Dada stated that the property on which these illegal activities are occurring, is a parking lot on municipal grounds and therefore she feels that the municipality needs to perform maintenance.

The Herald approached West Rand District Police spokesperson Captain Solomon Sibiya, to comment on illegal activity in the area. He said the station has not received any complaints regarding the concerns mentioned.

“Whenever a complaint is lodged, the station commander pays attention and attends to it. There was an operation where illegal immigrants were arrested and removed. Removing containers and unlicensed walkers is not the police’s mandate but the municipality’s responsibility.

The station in Westonaria is not aware of illegal taverns in that area. The station commander of Westonaria would also like to advise any concerned resident(s) to visit his office for a formal complaint.”