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Issues plaguing Edenvale tackled in a heated meeting

“If it cannot be done, then where we can, the community must do it ourselves.”

Tensions rose at a public meeting when community members sought solutions for issues plaguing their neighbourhoods and suburbs.

The meeting, hosted by Ward 18 Clr Heather Hart, was to provide insight and explain the situation around three topics – room rentals, recyclers and residents’ service delivery complaints.

The meeting, held on September 25 in the Edenvale Chambers, saw many community members and security stakeholders seek answers.

ALSO READ: Residents gather to resolve issues plaguing Edenvale

In recent weeks, illegal room rentals and overcrowding have concerned residents throughout Edenvale.

Ward 19 Clr Bill Rundle explains the lengthy process of holding municipal officials accountable. On his left is Ward 18 Clr Heather Hart and MP Michael Waters is on his right.

In some instances, residents living near overcrowded properties feel unsafe, while others are concerned about the originally installed infrastructure’s capacity being unable to cope. Some highlighted the potential devaluation of their property’s value.

Highlighting the role of councillors, Hart said they are not responsible for service delivery.

“The municipality is required to deliver services, and councillors are required to hold it to account, as per legislation.

“Councillors are required to bring local service delivery issues to the attention of the council and relevant departments via ward committee reports, submitting questions to council or oversight bodies, driving petitions or making motions to council.

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“Councillors are not miracle workers, and whether residents find it satisfactory or not, the best we can do is work with the officials, escalate where we can and raise matters in council or subcommittees,” she said.

Recyclers

According to Hart, the CoE first consulted with the stakeholders and recyclers in 2012. She said that at the same time, cities offered recycling services, recognising the importance of keeping recyclable materials out of landfills.

“In the CoE, the issue became clouded. It was seen as an opportunity for employment, driving job creation. The city’s focus was promoting the establishment of co-operatives to collect recyclable materials from residents.”

A pilot project was started in Thembisa, but Hart said it fizzled out.

Following this, the city established a system of containers, with the idea that residents would take recyclables to the containers, which would then go to buyback centres. She said this was in former township centres.

“In urban centres, the city basically turned a blind eye. We have been left to the mercy of informal recyclers.”

Hart said most informal recyclers are not an issue because they do not strip and dump materials but take them straight to buyback centres.

ALSO READ: Residents urged to comply with city regulations for planning and building

Despite this, Hart said there are hotspots, which include Central Eastleigh and the bottom of The Avenues. At these locations, recyclers sort, strip materials and sleep on site.

Hart said there were requests to register the informal recyclers like informal traders to try to regulate their behaviour.

“The problem is there is no municipal space that could be easily allocated to the informal recyclers.

“The plan is for Essentially Edenvale to liaise with the stakeholders in identified areas that can ideally be fenced off and recyclers can work. To do this, money and permission are required. Neither of which we have at the moment.”

Overcrowded properties

Hart explained that one of the reasons this topic suddenly became of such concern was because of a recent commune application in the Avenues.

“This created somewhat of a furore. The result of that was a list of 200 properties with illegal room rentals, communes and some properties where rooms were suspected of being rented out.

She said one of the primary concerns was that the identified properties often become neglected and degraded, reducing the values of the surrounding properties.

ALSO READ: Cllr Heather Hart calls residents to conserve trees in Edenvale

Other concerns were social cohesion, the neighbourhood’s amenities, the establishment of auto repair shops and other illegitimate businesses.

Some of the community members at the Edenvale Chambers during the public meeting on September 25.

“The city has processes whereby a property owner may legitimately have multiple individuals living on one property.

“These are boarding houses, boarding rooms, guest houses and communes,” explained Hart.

She said the owners of the 200 properties and others suspected of having illegal occupants would be served a notice to:

• cease contravention;
• face administrative penalties;
• or apply to legitimise the land use.

Properties in contravention can face administrative penalties of R15 000 monthly.

Hart said once property owners apply to legitimise the land use, they must meet the municipality’s requirements.
She assured residents that the situation was not being taken lightly.

“Our two development control officers are committed to the city planning compliance of properties. The same can be said about our area manager and two building inspectors, who engage with the legality of structures.”

Hart urged residents to report any suspected buildings in contravention.

ALSO READ: Lack of security in Illiondale concerns residents

“If we do not know about the suspicions or what is happening, we cannot act,” she said.

Although the process has started to address the 200 properties, Hart said it would take time.

“This is not a quick fix but a slow, laborious process. If contravening property owners ignore the city’s notices and the penalties, it will build a case.”

She told residents she would do everything to see justice is served.

Residents’ complaints

Hart said as the situation stands, the municipality cannot clean gutters and maintain pavements, while tree trimming has all but collapsed.

“Most Edenvale depots do not have the required number of vehicles and cannot function properly. Depots also experience other problems, such as internet connectivity and burst geysers, that take weeks to resolve,” said Hart.

Despite the negatives, Hart complimented the functionality of Edenvale’s energy department, the roads depot manager, the town’s water and sanitation depot and the town’s accounts department.

ALSO READ: Illiondale residents raise funds to oppose township development

She said although this is reality, residents cannot shrug their shoulders

“If it cannot be done, then where we can, the community must do it ourselves.”

Hearing the situation Hart gave them, the frustrated residents called for accountability and questioned why the responsible officials were not taken to task.

They called for the officials responsible for the lack of service delivery to be at the next public meeting.

An Illiondale resident, frustrated by the lack of service delivery, suggested residents boycott their rates, pay the funds into a trust and clean the town themselves until service delivery improves.

Hart and MP Michael Waters advised against this, explaining that residents would need to prove to a court that the municipality was not providing services to the town.

Ward 19 Clr Bill Rundle explained that holding officials responsible needs to be done by the book, which can take time and is an arduous process.

“The city is bound by codes of conduct and the law when disciplinary action is taken. Processes must be followed, or matters get thrown out.

He encouraged the residents to participate in integrated development plan meetings and their community by becoming members of the ward committees.

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