George Lea Park is undergoing a serious makeover and the displaced persons have been removed by Metro police.
Unlike previous raids, the park is completely clear of all displaced persons, but where are they currently residing?
Rose Johnson, a director of Friends of the Field and Study Park said, “NIMBY [not in my back yard] is what this is. The problem has not been solved, it has just been moved. The problem of homelessness has not been resolved. We have merely moved the issue from George Lea [Park] to somewhere else.”
Simon Eccles, who is the head of maintenance at a retirement village, Rosehaven, located across the road from the park, explained that many displaced persons have made their way from George Lea Park to the land directly next to the village. He stressed that the elderly people who live there feel very stressed and threatened. The retirement village does not have adequate security to patrol the area and this has made the residents even more vulnerable.
Read also: George Lea Park clean-up is ‘real deal’
A similar message was relayed by Ward 103 councillor, Vincent Earp who added, “I am sure that they will move to the field and study. This is the only open space besides the area by Rosehaven, which is a small space. All we are doing is displacing them and forcing them from one area to the other.” He added that the problem might be solved in George Lea Park, but it will just move to another area.
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Ward 102 councillor, David Potter, who also has extensive knowledge on the issue of displaced persons in the area said, “The attention given to George Lea Park will put pressure on other parks in neighbouring suburbs and wards. The ward councillors are aware of the matter and are engaging with the City [of Johannesburg] executives as to a way forward.
George Lea squatters spark opinions
“Unfortunately there is no immediate solution. The issue is great, and includes social and economic variables.”
In the Sandton Chronicle article, George Lea Park clean-up is ‘real deal’, published on 4 October, the views of the Lesotho Consulate were expressed, specifically because most of the displaced persons are believed to be from there. Eyhali Vuyani of the consulate hypothesised that a George Lea Park raid would only make the situation of homelessness worse and stressed that displaced persons would merely move from the park to surrounding areas. “We cannot force them out. We need to move them to a suitable place like a homeless shelter.”
Based on the aforementioned comments, Vuyani predicted the outcome of the raid correctly.
