Fairmount residents continue to express concern at the state of the Fairmount Sports Club soccer field.
A meeting with various stakeholders was held in December last year at the club where several issues were raised. Committee member of the Save Fairmount Group Initiative, David Lichtenstein said the field was used as a local dumping ground and had been unkempt for about 13 years.
“These flats were nearly burnt down because of the two fires that the illegal occupants had, in fact, one guy burnt himself [sic] and died,” he said referring to flats adjacent to the field. “They burn rubbish around the premises. The tap is leaking, we’ve asked them to fix it and we don’t know who is paying for the water there. The club house is in a shocking condition, there is illegal dumping of bottles and there are no facilities for bathrooms, and the grass needs to be cut.”
Eitan Fine of the Sandringham Community Police Forum said when they had visited the field over weekends, they found that there were many people coming and going, and there was no social distancing, wearing of masks, and there were people drinking in the presence of children. This, he said was prior to the alcohol ban.
He added, “There have been witnesses that there has been drug dealing over here. We’ve come here a few times and these guys have been high on drugs. We’ve also noticed that they’ve been selling drugs to kids…. even in the bathrooms, people live in there.
“So the people who come to play soccer, they can’t access bathroom facilities, therefore, they defecate on the grass… It is a health hazard. “There are ladies of the night here. We need to have some direction from Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) on the way forward with the place.”
Ward 72 councillor Lionel Greenberg said they have written very robust letters to JPC but claimed nothing had been done. He added, “We hope the City can understand that the residents are under pressure, they would like their facilities kept perfect. If JPC is unable to do that, we have asked them to repurpose the facility.
“As a councillor, I am not allowed to get involved in any operational issues within any City structures. Regardless of who lives in this area, we need to respect everybody’s rights. Let’s get this problem resolved because people’s properties are going to be devalued as a result of this eyesore. We are not trying to eject people unnecessarily but people who are unlawfully occupying a business premises as residential premises cannot be encouraged.”
Warrant Officer Aaron Lebuso of Sandringham Police Station said they did police the area and searched the premises when they held their raids but had so far not found any contraband. “The only complaint we have received is of people who drink [also raised prior to the alcohol ban]. The condition of the place is bad but as the police we deal with the criminal side of things, the municipality should deal with the building’s condition,” Lebuso added.
Brian Lewis who runs the Fairmount Bowls Club said with some financial backing they would be willing to take over the premises. Lewis added, “We are proposing to JPC that we can take it over but we cannot do so with the last proposed lease which was five years only. The amount of money that I would have to spend here to reinvent this place, I could never recover in five years. So, if JPC is prepared to consider something in the region of a 10-year lease, we are prepared to take it over, clean it up, run it and make it the community centre that it needs to be.”
The JPC acknowledged receipt of our request for comment and assured they would issue an official response in due course.
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