Vacant lot facilitates crime, say residents
Residents in View Road want a vacant overgrown lot cleared to deter criminals.
PINETOWN residents who have been victims of crime on View Road claim that a vacant lot in the area is facilitating crime.
According to one resident, Martin Visagie, who was subjected to four burglaries in July, the burglars used the overgrown lot to escape after committing their crimes.
Visagie claims the latest burglary occurred on Monday, 12 August, when thieves stole two wheels off his trailer. This was been confirmed by Lt Bongimusa Manqele of the Pinetown police station.
“These criminals are invading our privacy, trespassing on our property and all because of that overgrown bush which they are hiding in.
“People drink on the premises and dump their bin bags in the bush. These people walk with iron pipes into my yard which puts myself, my wife and my kids in danger,” said Visagie.
Another resident, Leslie Juggernath, said she was mugged in July while walking to work. Two assailants ambushed her, pushed her to the ground and threatened her with a knife. Juggernath said her assailants stole her wedding ring and gold pendant before they escaped into the bushes.
Visagie said he had tried to arrange with the Environental Health Department to clear the vacant lot in order to discourage the criminals from using it, but had been unable to make much progress despite his nearly 43 letters of complaint.
He said the department had on 24 April issued a notice to the owner of the property to cut down or remove grass, weeds or undergrowth of bush on the property as the property did not not comply with the requirements of Section 8 of the Nuisance Bylaws.
However, the owner of the property had not responded to the notice.
On 22 August, the Department emailed Visagie and Juggernath, saying they had sent out a second notice and should the owner fail to respond no further action could be taken and that no public health nuisance was evident on the property.
Ward 18 councillor, Tim Brauteseth, has meanwhile been approached to assist View Road residents. “I have recently become involved and will do everything I can. I am working with Ram Ramadeen, the head of Parks and Region Mines, as well as the Environental Health Department and Safer Cities to resolve the issue, ” he said.
According to Brauteseth the mandate does lie with the Environental Health Department. He said the department had the right to clear and clean the lot and bill the costs to the owner’s property rates bill.
Juggernath said the Environental Health Department had, however, taken responsibility for another vacant lot on the street. On Monday 12 August workers from the Department came to inspect 7 View Road and have since started clearing and cleaning the lot,” she said.
