Police have raided a derelict tennis club in upmarket New Muckleneuk which has become home to dozens of squatters and drug users and dealers.
Members of the Brooklyn police, the Brooklyn CPF and two private security fims took part in the carefully-planned operation on Tuesday night.
It was aimed at ridding the area of criminals and other unwanted elements.
Although no arrests were made, large quantities of used and un-used needles, drug paraphernalia, heroin, nayope and dagga were found on the premises – a major crime hotspot for several years already.
Several squatters were found on the property but no one could be linked to the drugs, pornographic videos and other obviously stolen property discovered.
The police action followed the discovery last Thursday of the body of a young man who had died of a suspected nayope overdose on the club grounds.
“The death of the young man was the final straw and a decision was made to take firm action,” Brooklyn police spokesman Captain Colette Weilbach, who participated in the operation, said.
According to Brooklyn CPF chairman Paul Fouchee, the filthy club grounds had been a thorn in the side of residents, police and security personnel for many years.
“The dispute about ownership of the club had been hampering efforts to clear the abandoned tennis club of the squatters, some of whom had started erecting shacks on the property,” said Fouchee, who had been instrumental in Tuesday’s operation, said.
Rekord this week reported that a transaction by the Tshwane metro in which the valuable property had been sold, has been the subject of a North Gauteng High Court battle since 2006.
Since then, the metro stopped maintaining the property. At the same time, the new owners also allowed the club to be turned into a safe haven for squatters, drug users and criminals.
The area resembles a rubbish dump with bedding, clothes, litter and bottles strewn all over and smells like a sewer. It is situated next to a crèche and surrounded by expensive office buildings.
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