La Rochelle is deteriorating

As business owners in La Rochelle, for the past ten years we have witnessed the deterioration of La Rochelle. The area has had an influx of illegal immigrants, who do nothing productive but stand in groups on the street corners.

The drug trade is rampant, they do not care who sees them. They have total disregard for traffic, roads laws; they stop anywhere, anytime they wish. Sorry for you law abiding citizens.

They are arrogant and totally hostile. Why must we be degraded by them? They buy property, fill each room with families and consequently the house goes to wreck and ruin.

The police are no better, we see those taking bribes. Metro and SAPS are all alike. The bars, taverns and restaurants play loud music and you see totally drunk people all day and night. Never mind the cars that are equipped as boom boxes. During the day, this is fine but at 02:00 it is just plain spiteful.

All these actions are counterproductive to decent businesses and as business owners we will help to try and alleviate the situation.

Residents and business women from The South of Johannesburg

I empathise 150 per cent with the sentiments expressed by these concerned residents and business women, was my immediate response when I read the letter on which I had been asked to comment.

The next thought that crossed my mind was the oft stated phrase, “Evil flourishes when good people remain silent”. Maybe this is the clarion call that readers should respond to, for not only is La Rochelle a growing mess, but other suburbs in the South have degraded but possibly differently. To name but a few, parts of Rosettenville, Kenilworth, Turffontein and so forth. The list could go on and on if we included older suburbs within the city limits.

Alcohol, drugs, prostitution, house hijacking and flagrant disregard for the City’s by-laws are all crime multipliers.

Our local councillors report by-law contravention and criminal activities, as do many of our residents to the City and SAPS. Unfortunately neither of the two live up to the expectation of the community in dealing with the reported issues.

The solution is quite simple, it requires the residents to stand up and be counted. They must resolve to report the crime and bad behaviour they witness. Complete an affidavit stating the date and time of the issue to be reported.

SAPS and the City cannot act on hearsay, they need evidence that will stand up in court. Court is where the resolution lies.

Last year residents in The Hill had had enough of the noise emanating from a club and the bad behaviour of the patrons, urinating on residents and shops walls, playing loud music in cars after leaving the club, inconsiderately blocking driveways.

A petition detailing the aforementioned problems was completed by residents in close proximity to the club and sent to the City’s petitions department. After waiting impatiently for more than a year and a half, a hearing was concluded. The outcome was that the consent use for the club to operate was withdrawn and it had to close.

In addition residents in the Moffatview precinct will soon have an opportunity to sign a petition entitled ‘Help them to help you’, demanding that the Provincial SAPS live up to their promise: upgrade premises and boost manpower to acceptable levels at our police station.

Ward 56 DA Councillor, Dennis Jane.

I will send this complaint to Chief Superintendent Simon Mothlakoana, the area Commander for that region to attempt joint operations with SAPS to restore order once more in La Rochelle.

Wayne Minnaar, JMPD Spokesperson

I have interacted with JMPD on numerous occasions regarding the illegal drug trafficking, noise and shebeens that is coming up in La Rochelle.

I clearly do not understand how some of these taverns were granted liquor licenses as some of them are between residents homes.

I sympathise with the law abiding citizens as some of the residents has no pride in their community. They leave dirt on every corner and our law abiding citizens has to suffer.

My plan is to work with the residents, and make our streets a better place for our children to run and play in.

SAPS must start to gain the confidence of the community back, and the residents must be free to contact them at any time when they feel violated or threatened.

I want to challenge all our communities out there to start blowing the whistle if they suspect any wrong doing.

Ward 57 DA Councillor Faeeza Chame