The once sought-after mining facility at Durban Deep now is in a crime-ridden state.
The buildings have been stripped of everything valuable and the piece of land opposite the building Community Led Animal Welfare (Claw) occupied not too long ago, has been turned into an illegal mining waste land with holes, tunnels and ditches. The perimeter walls are in ruins and roads are decaying fast.
De Villiers Katywa of Claw escorted the record to the area surrounding the organisation’s previous property. At first it seemed there might be infrastructure upgrading going on when one is met with the various ditches and channels that has been dug next to the road. Katywa and a police officer patrolling the area disagrees. According to them illegal miners have dug up the electric cables as well as water pipes.
Everywhere men are working together in little groups, but scatter when police arrives … only to return moments later.
According to Katywa it became too dangerous to run their operation from the area. Four of Claw’s electrical generators have been stolen and the building was vandalised. Without electricity and water it became nearly impossible to operate from the premises. Claw had to hire private security to guard the building and only a few animals are kept there until they can be taken to Claw’s new premises at Friends of Rescued Animals (Fora) in Krugersdorp (1A Windsor Road, Luipaardsvlei) the next morning.
ANC Councillor for the area, Sebelo Ngcana did not want to reveal much but says a task team has been formed to deal with the problem. He also indicated that a development project will start soon but did not indicate when.
Roodepoort Police spokesperson Nonhlanhla Kumahlo confirmed that an initiative in the cluster has been formed whereby the police stations assist each other owing to manpower restraints.
The current owners of the Durban Deep property, Dino Properties could not be reached for comment at the time of going to print.
