Numerous complaints came to the Rosebank Police Station regarding an empty stand on Sturdee Avenue opposite Rosebank Primary School.
According to the spokesperson Sergeant Bongi Mdletshe, displaced people decided to erect shacks. “Residents who stay on a block of flats next to the place are also are suffering from the smoke emitted from activities such as smoking dagga and firewood cooking by these displaced people into their flats.”
He added that the school itself has complained to the SAPS regarding this matter. The spokesperson said several patrols and operations in conjunction with security officers were carried out to remove these displaced people.
Mdletshe said, “What happens is that when we get here they move, but at a later stage when it’s dark they always come back. The community is urging the owner to make sure that the stand is clean, secured and cordoned off properly.
“We as the police are willing to make sure that we assist in terms of coming out if there are problems breaking out from the stand.”
Josh Nel from Beagle Watch who is in charge of patrolling the area said the issue has been going on for about one and a half years. “On my recent visit to the property which was last week, there were around 15 to 20 people staying there.
“They put up new structures there and unfortunately, they are starting to harass the school kids asking for anything to eat or money. It’s obviously making the primary school children feel very unsafe and that’s not a type of environment we want our kids to grow up in.”
He added that as a product of measure from Beagle Watch they had added patrols at certain times especially when the school opens or closes so that they can monitor the situation and make sure the displaced people don’t approach the kids.
Nel, however, expressed concern that this is unfortunately not going to be a sustainable solution and strongly suggested that the property be secured properly, fences put up and any structures removed. “It’s obviously also a staging area for criminals and at that point, they could not only deal in drugs but also commit housebreakings.”
Rosebank Primary School principal Leigh Shaw-Taylor said she had watched on the security camera, and saw various individuals arriving on foot and in vehicles to buy drugs from the supplier on the stand in broad daylight. “The concern from the school is that the displaced people, having no access to water and sanitation, started approaching the school to get water, even on a few occasions managing to get onto school property when parents were collecting their children.
“Late in the afternoons, they cross the street and sit on the pavement along the fencing where children are waiting for their parents. The concern here is whether or not they would attempt to entice the young children to try drugs.”
She added that over the December school holidays while looking for containers to collect water, some of the displaced people jumped the school wall into the swimming pool area and stole containers which they filled with water.
Shaw-Taylor said the school was very happy to see that a fence was being put up but worried that the displaced people would cut the fence to gain access again. “We hope and pray that the owner develops his stand soon so that the safety and security of the learners are maintained at all times.”
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