A drive to clean up areas of the Moot once a month is yielding success, ward councillor Elma Nel said this week.
It has been initiated by Nel in collaboration with Solid Waste, the police and the metro police.
Elizabeth Swandhle of Solid Waste said illegal dumping near Laerskool Generaal Nicolaas Smit on the railway line was cleared last Wednesday.
This came after the school principal complained about drug dealers hiding on the railway line at Malie Street, right next to the school.
“We went there and we removed all the litter that was there and also stuff used as makeshift homes,” said Swandhle.
“We tried to burn everything under the Bremer Bridge which seems to be the biggest hiding spot.”
Nel said ward 1 was being plagued by drug-related activities.
The aim the monthly clean-ups is to remove illegal shelters used for the peddling and distribution of drugs.
“At the beginning it was a very emotional thing for me to go and remove their things. But lift those mattresses and you see the needles and drugs underneath,” Nel said.
“They will always come back, and so will we. We will go back and remove their things again and eventually they will get the message and stay away.”
Nel said several arrests had been made and nine people were put behind bars in August alone.
“I know that the problem won’t be eradicated after one clean-up,” she said.
“Therefore we persist on a monthly basis until full results will be achieved.”
Residents were being relied on to point out new spots where drugs were being sold.
“We then proceed to clear up the area with two trucks removing rubble such as mattresses and illegal camping sites,” Nel explained.
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