A public meeting was held on March 4 at the Southern Suburbs Recreation Centre to discuss the future of sanitary lanes in Rosettenville.

The Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) invited residents to learn how they could potentially claim portions of these obsolete lanes, which are no longer used for sewage collection and often become safety hazards due to overgrowth and criminal activity.

Despite the initiative, the meeting saw poor attendance, which may be attributed to its weekday timing.

Suggestions to reschedule for an evening or weekend session were dismissed due to overtime costs.

The JPC plans to contact affected residents directly to move the process forward.

@southern.courierThe Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) invited residents to learn how they could potentially claim portions of these obsolete lanes, which are no longer used for sewage collection and often become safety hazards due to overgrowth and criminal activity. Full story on southerncourier.co.za♬ original sound – Southern Courier

Ward 56 Councillor Michael Crichton spoke about the need to move forward with residents affected.

“I will be in contact with affected residents, the lanes cause problems for infrastructure and that criminals use the lanes for suspicious activity,” said Crichton.

Sanitary lanes, relics of the pre-indoor plumbing era, pose challenges as no municipal department takes responsibility for their upkeep, making them targets for crime and neglect.

Residents interested in claiming a portion of the lane outside their property are encouraged to stay in touch with the JPC.