The community hall in Schoongezicht, Ward 11, has not been in operation for the last seven years. Criminals, drug lords and drug users are terrorising this coloured community and using this building as a safe haven.
The hall is being vandalised and completely in shambles and the Emalahleni Municipality is doing nothing about it. The building is next to a park, where children are supposed to play.
This building used to be a community hall, and there’s no community hall now. This coloured community is completely ignored by the municipality. They live like a forgotten community. The municipality must take responsibility, not harbour criminals or make their buildings places where criminals hide.
Democratic Alliance (DA) councillor in the eMalahleni local municipality, Cllr Moosa Bhamjee and Jane Sithole, Deputy Leader (MPL), visited the site last month and they found that it is a hot spot for drug users which has a negative impact on the community. The area has also become a dumping site. The grass is long and untidy. The hall is council property and it has totally been vandalized.
The community is being deprived of a functional hall. A community hall is normally used for family functions such as weddings and get-togethers, meetings also take place at community halls.
Cllr Moosa Bhamjee is in a process of submitting written questions to council with regards to the revamping and renovating of the hall. He will demand answers from the municipality in terms of what their plans are regarding this building.
