Ackerville resident threatened for exposing illegal truck depot
The illegal truck depot poses hazards such as noise and noise pollution for the community in Ward 13
Residents from Ward 13 in Ackerville have raised concerns over the allleged illicit growing truck depot on Schonland Drive.
Truck drivers and owners have taken the liberty of turning the vacant municipal land into their depot, enabling them to park, service, and wash their trucks for free.
This alleged illegal depot has become a nightmare for residents in Ward 13 in Ackerville, located right behind their houses.
As a result, the community has succumbed to air and pollution and suffered health hazards posed by the unwarranted depot.
A resident from Ward 13 in an exclusive interview with WITBANK NEWS said that she has been residing in Ackerville for over 10 years, but has been fighting a losing battle against trucks for six years.
She explained that the trucks park right behind her house every day, “I was diagnosed with asthma shortly afterward due to the dust I endure every day when the trucks drive in and out. My daughter dropped out of university because she couldn’t study in her back room because of the noise from the equipment used,” the woman cried.
She also alleged that over the six years, she has communicated with various departments from Emalahleni Local Municipality hoping to get assistance.
On Thursday, August 15, WITBANK NEWS met up with the resident at the alleged illegal-run depot right behind her home.
The resident was accompanied by the chairperson of Emalahleni Community Uprising for Employment (Ecufe).
Truck servicing equipment and multiple gas pipes were lying around the depot.
In the same place, there was a shack that sold food and provided warm water for the truckers, and boiled water was also available.
As the residents took WITBANK NEWS through the illegal depot operation, they were unfortunately approached by uninvited and unhappy guests, the alleged owners of the trucks.
An argument quickly occurred between the resident and the owners.
The two male owners reverted to threatening and intimidating the resident and the journalist for stepping foot at the depot without their consent.
“We pay to be operating here, and we have proof. No one is going to evict us, this woman has tried many times before and failed,” one of the owners threatened.
Chairman from Ecufe, Stanley Mashupye, expressed his sadness over the threats made by the owners to the resident and the journalist.
WITBANK NEWS reached out to Emalahleni Local Municipality but is awaiting a response.
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