Selection Park residents join hands to clean up railway surroundings
The attackers climbed over roofs to enter residents' yards, while the organised men cleaned the area around the railway in Selection Park in a similar fashion.
Several concerned residents along Grung Street in Selection Park organised a clean-up around the railway situated behind their houses on Thursday morning.
All the neighbours supported the effort. They also gathered a group of men to help with cutting the long grass and reeds.
Shane Marthise helped the men and brought them refreshments by scaling a roof to get to them.
The clean-up took place because the decay and disuse of the rail infrastructure had a domino effect on the railway’s immediate surroundings.
Due to the long reeds and lack of upkeep in the area, several break-ins recently occurred. This initiative helped the neighbours to unite.
Sheila Smit says attempted break-ins plagued her and her family over the last few weeks, which has put their lives at risk and resulted in strengthening their security.
Sheila recalls a week ago when her husband was home alone, when he observed two men loitering in their yard.
One was on the roof, while the other was already inside the yard. As soon as the other man noticed her husband, he immediately devised a means to climb back onto the roof to flee.
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“It is quite difficult to fall asleep, knowing that we must constantly be on the lookout,” said Sheila.
“We believe our security is in jeopardy when the reeds grow to be taller than our roofs. Due to trespassers roaming our yards, our children cannot play outside unsupervised.
“We have made several attempts to file complaints with the municipality, but our grievances have been unsuccessful.”
The neighbours appreciate Kelvin DK, Doctor Masilela, David Banda, and Yangu Cefa for their assistance with the clean-up, which was a success.
