K60 set alight in controlled blaze

Paulshof Residents and Ratepayers Association decided to take the issue into their own hands on 7 August, calling on Lonehill Firs Station to burn the grass in a controlled fire.

The association’s Lita Jacobsen said, “We have had a spike in crime in Paulshof central and Extension 10 recently, and residents are convinced that criminals are escaping into the long grass of the road reserve. The grass is so long it is taller than my bakkie. I have called the Provincial Roads Department to maintain the grass but they were on strike. I called city council too a week ago but nothing had been done.”

Ward 93 councillor Annette Deppe had also appealed to city council to help. Rivonia Riding Club’s River Rangers found broken glass and scattered litter, evidence of vagrants on the road reserve.

The association hoped the burnt grass would increase the visibility in the road reserve and Deppe said it would be easier to patrol. The fire burnt from 9pm to 11pm.

Deppe said using a fire was not ideal, but understood the residents’ urgency.

“Over the last three weeks the residents of Paulshof have been traumatised with robberies and attempted robberies coming in from the boarders of the K60 road reserve, between Umhlanga Road and the river between Leeuwkop and Paulshof. This has been of great concern to the ratepayers,” she added.

Station Commander of Lonehill Fire Station, Rudy Nell, said the burning was a once-off service to help the community. He said it was a large piece of land for the council or provincial departments to maintain, but he warned that burning came with important considerations for the wildlife.

FreeMe Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre was also on standby for any animals or birds that were affected.

Deppe said it was decided to burn the veld at night when the wind was dying down, and, according to her, the operation went “very well”. However, she issued a warning to residents: “I would like to advise residents to never take the law into their own hands and always work through the proper channels. This kind of operation could go very wrong if it was not controlled; there are many residents who have thatched roofs and trees close to their walls and it could turn out very badly if you just drop a match.”

She urged residents to report any suspicious activity to 10111.