THE rubble between the Corobrik Centre and Typhoon Street, in Aeroton, has been there for over six months and residents are complaining about rats breeding in it.
Boni Hlongwana, who contacted the COURIER after several attempts to try to have the rubble removed were in vain, said: “I don’t know who to turn to now, because the manager at Corobrik and contractors were engaged about this matter, but the rubble is still there.
”We have children and we fear for the rats.”
Boni added that, although some community members have a hand in the littering, the bulk of the rubble comprises concrete slabs that only contractors can remove.
Corobrik’s Crown Mines manager, Elizabeth Meje, confirmed that she knows about this complaint.
“This matter was reported to me and I told the lady that I will take up the matter with the contractor (Rennie Julius), which I did,” she said.
”This matter is now being handled by the contractor himself. Corobrik only moved into the premises on March 1 this year,” she said.
Rennie Julius, the project manager for the owner of the land and building, who has facilitated the tenancy of Corobrik, was contacted for comment.
He said he is sincerely sorry for the owners of the adjacent facilities and has expressed his concerns in respect of the rubble on the site adjacent to both Corobrik and the residents.
However, he added, when the company first occupied the site, building material and also dirt had already been dumped illegally on it.
“We have had a meeting with one of the concerned residents and have made several attempts to clear the site of the illegal dumping, including creating barriers of closure, but this, too, led to a complaint,” Julius said.
”I wish to indicate that there have been cleaning operations, but the illegal dumping continues and the blame is shifted to Corobrik, unfortunately.
“We did clean up, clearly because we, too, didn’t want any negative feedback and relationship between Corobrik and the home owners in the area.
”There are residents who are trying and have tried to exploit our clients for their benefit, however, the problem was there before we started building and we have tried to improve the area and will continue to do so.”