It is evident that the ANC/ActionSA led Tshwane Council, has no capacity or is not interested in enforcing by-laws in the Laudium/Erasmia area.
Despite many politicians, including the Mayor, visiting the area recently, in the name of carrying out ‘raids’, pledging to enforce by laws, making a spectacle of their short prior announced ‘raids,’ the area is slowly but surely turning into a slum. The promise by Council to deploy a full-time Metro Police vehicle in each Ward in Tshwane, to enforce by-laws, is one of the many promises made by the Tshwane Council, yet to materialise.
Amongst the many complaints of residents, concerning by-laws, is the continuous dumping all over the area, the mushrooming of homes being illegally converted into businesses and homes and backyards (with a number of shacks erected) becoming heavily overcrowded, as residential properties are let out by unscrupulous landlords, to numerous tenants. The Laudium Sun has even received complaints from frustrated neighbours, about landlords who have moved to nearby security estates, renting out their 3-4 bedroom former homes to about 30 people, mainly foreigners, with tenants sleeping in kitchens and even in the bathroom at night. Complaints of homeowners setting up numerous shacks in their back yards with no proper ablution facilities have also become common.
In one of the latest complaints received by the Laudium Sun, residents from Grey Street and behind, on Emerald Street, have complained about a ‘shack farm’ being operated from one of the homes on Grey Street. Ironically the home is near the Laudium Police Station with local police aware of the increasing number of people living there illegally. One of the residents from Grey Street complained about the neighbour who she says has made her life a living hell, due to the noise and filth and despite apparently complaining to the neighbour, he continues to dump all kinds of scrap at Prishanti Hassen’s house.
Prishanti Hassen of Grey Street told the Laudium Sun, “For years, my neighbour Abdul, has had squatters in his backyard, and the situation keeps getting worse. For years, we have been suffering from rats in our roof, and recently, my mother and I had to change the ceiling in our house because of the rats. We even had to raise the wall in our backyard because of the stench. The rats used to walk on the walls, and you could see them running. We’ve used numerous rat poisons over the last couple of years, but now it’s just gotten so bad that our neighbour does not care about the harm caused to us and others living near him. The house only has one dustbin, but there are over 50 people staying in that yard. The noise and smell are unbearable. We have to close our doors and windows because of the stench. When we ask Abdul to remove the rubbish, he says, ‘Oh, get someone, and I’ll pay them.’ I can’t be driving nice cars and living in conditions like this. We spent money fixing the roof, and now we still have to deal with rats in our roof. It’s not fair. We also want to live in a clean and healthy environment. I don’t even allow my kids to play in the yard unsupervised, because I’m scared of the rats. It’s not fair; it’s my yard! But how can I relax when I have to worry about rats running around in my yard and in my house? My kids’ safety comes first. The smell is so terrible, and how can they create a squatter camp like this in their backyard? The Council must take action against the squatter camp and all the foreigners staying in that yard. This is really disgusting. How are the authorities not aware of the illegal squatter camps mushrooming throughout the area? From the outside of the house, no one can see that there is a squatter camp in the backyard, where around 50 people are staying. We don’t even know if they are paying electricity and water bills. There are not even proper bathroom and toilet facilities and the Council must also be held accountable, for not intervening.”
Another resident of Grey Street and neighbour of Abdul, Riaan Jacob, told the Laudium Sun, “The property of Abdul, where he has now rented out to so many foreigners at the back of his property, has become a mini squatter camp. All the shacks there are illegal as there are no proper ablution facilities and it poses a fire risk. I cannot understand why the Municipality is turning a blind eye to these illegal activities going on in our area. The Council must take action, on the filth, the overcrowding, the noise, the illegal shacks and unhealthy environment for both tenants and us neighbours. Many of the people staying in this house are filthy and really need to be removed, as the living conditions are deplorable. As a neighbour, I want to be protected. What if a big fire is caused because of all these people? If it happens, I will be the first neighbour affected. The Council must take the necessary action against this illegal squatter camp on his property and the so many tenants living there, who happen to be mainly foreigners.”
A number of other residents living in the area, including those living behind the property on Emerald Street, also complained to the Laudium Sun about the particular property on Grey Street, concerning the stench, noise and overcrowding. However, many of them preferred not to give their names or photos for fear of reprisals and wanted to remain anonymous.
In response, the property owner, Abdul Noormohammed, told the Laudium Sun, “The allegations that my neighbour, Prishanti, has made against me are not true. I agree that I have rented my outer building to some foreigners, but it just needs a bit of cleaning in the yard, and there are no rats on my property. Everything is in order. I have a healthy relationship with my neighbour, so I don’t know how she can accuse me like this. I have always made sure that the dwellings and the tenants comply with health regulations.”