A building fire in Railway Avenue just after 08:00 on October 16 now has many Western Extension residents to rally support behind the Benoni Taxi Association’s (BTA) crime prevention efforts.

It is alleged that a fire broke out in the abandoned semi-detached house following what witnesses describe as a fight between vagrants living there.

“This house has been standing empty for nearly a decade and as a result, unsavoury people have taken up residence here,” said a resident, who wished to remain anonymous.

“The house had been stripped and has subsequently become a haven for criminals, prostitutes, and drug addicts.”

Residents claim that the house suffered a similar fate in 2021, when a fire ravaged most of the empty shell.

While waiting for the City of Ekurhuleni’s (CoE) Disaster and Emergency Management Services to respond and contain the blaze, BTA members turned their attention to informal recyclers, confiscating their rickety trolleys and setting these alight in the veld behind Deneys Conradie Residentia.

Jerry Mosehlae, BTA drivers’ chairperson, said that the association and its members are working hand-in-hand with the Benoni SAPS as their eyes and ears.

“Members conduct daily patrols from Atlas Road to Voortrekker Street, along the streets and the N12 highway,” he said.

“Our information indicates that those living on abandoned properties, and these so-called recyclers, are at the root of the criminality plaguing our community.”

He further alleged that a recent spate of business robberies, business burglaries, muggings, and smash-and-grabs firmly placed the rubbish pickers at the centre of these incidents.

“Following these incidents, patrolling members have conducted inspections of the contents of these trolleys, only to find suspected stolen goods hidden under the recyclable items,” he said.

“We do not want them here, they are terrorising our community. We are sending them a stern message by burning their goods. Get out, or we will help you out.”

Met with congratulatory handshakes from residents, the BTA says it is committed to reclaiming the streets of Benoni to make them safer for all legitimate residents.

“We cannot sit back and watch as criminals take over the city. We are here to protect the elderly, women, and children. Fear will no longer reign, not when we are on patrol.”

Colonel Sinothi Ndaba, Vispol commander at the Benoni SAPS, confirmed that law enforcement has forged an invaluable working relationship with the city’s local taxi association.

“Like the Benoni CPF, BTA has become a reliable stakeholder in the fight against crime,” said Ndaba.

“Their daily interactions with members of the community, as well as constantly being on the move throughout the city, give us an indication of what is happening on the ground.

“I must, however, reiterate that BTA members are not law enforcers and must always conduct themselves within the confines of the law. Suspicious criminal activity must be reported through authorised communication channels.”

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