Concerns raised about displaced people living on private property

A Bryanston resident has raised concerns about several displaced people living on a private property on Bryanston Drive.

The property, located on the corner of Bryanston Drive and Brooke Avenue used to be a residential property but the home has since been demolished, leaving a vacant piece of land.

The resident, who wished to remain anonymous, lives near the property and said that the group has been living on the property for a while. He said that the number of people living on the property has grown with many people using the nearby Braamfontein Spruit to bathe.

Ward 103 councillor Vincent Earp said that there are a number of residents who are concerned about the property. Earp said the City faces a challenge though, as the property is still privately owned and the City cannot evict people staying on private property.

He explained that the person who owns the property would need to come forward in order for action to be taken against the people staying on the property. Earp said that the problem is larger than one individual property and the City needs to come up with a strategy to address the problems and assist displaced people.

In a joint statement released by the MMC for Public Safety Michael Sun and MMC for Health and Social Development Mpho Phalatse, they said that the City’s population grows at an estimated rate of 3 000 new residents every month.

“Many come to the city seeking a better life for one reason or another while others come to the city in search of economic opportunities. Some of these persons become displaced.”

Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar, the spokesperson for the Johannesburg Metro Police Department explained that often displaced people living on private property do not want to go stay in a shelter. He said that people can often make money when they live on an abandoned property, whereas in a shelter, they only receive food and shelter.

He added that only if there is suspected illegal activity, such as the selling of drugs or alcohol, would the police and Metro police be able to go onto the property. Should this be the case, residents are encouraged to report these incidences to the Metro police and police.

Sun and Phalatse concluded, “As part of the City’s comprehensive strategy to assist the homeless, it has interventions to break the cycle of homelessness and transition homeless and displaced persons back into society. The key interventions managed by the City’s Department of Social Development are shelter management, awareness and prevention, as well as community reintegration, family reunification and skills development.”

Details: Johannesburg Metro Police Department 011 375 5911.

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