The Merafong City Local Municipality says it will look into complaints that the structure at the circle at Oranje Street in Oberholzer is a hiding place for criminals.

“I cannot even walk in the direction of Polana or Spar. The park at Oranje Street’s circle is not safe for a woman to pass on her own. The structure is even full of matrasses! Can someone just break the building down as drug dealing is done there?” a frustrated resident complained on social media on Monday.

Another resident commented that he and his workers have been cleaning the park for years as the municipality is not doing this. He has been asking for a long time to have the structure in the park broken down for safety reasons. He was previously told that the head of Merafong’s Parks Department must first permit such a step before anything can be done.

The issue raised so much attention that help was asked for a petition, and one resident even volunteered equipment and a truck for the work to be done. The area’s ward councillor, Carl Steenekamp, also promised to take the matter further. The Herald asked the municipality about the issue on Monday.

“A building inspector assisted by law enforcement will be sent out to do an inspection,” answered their marketing and communications manager, Temba Fezani.