THE shooting incident of a security guard at the Botha’s Hill railway station on Wednesday, 4 May in broad daylight triggered the upper Highway community to unite and find a solution to fight crime in the area.
Botha’s Hill CrimeStop, Kearsney College, West Riding Community Watch, Assagay Community Watch, Gillitts Park Community Association, the Hillcrest CPF (sector one), Blue Security, SecureLink, SAPS, the Shongweni K9 Unit and numerous local private business owners and residents met with the Highway Mail to share their ongoing battle with Transnet, which started in 2014.
Paul Pollock, Botha’s Hill CrimeStop committee deputy chairman, said the crime in that area has increased drastically over the past few weeks.
Pollock said they had sent through various e-mails to Transnet to try and work with the community to clean up the railway line verges as criminals use them to hide and gain entry to the residential and business areas.
The community said more than 90 per cent of the houses have been broken into and sometimes three crime cases are reported a day.
“It not only residents and businesses that have fallen prey to these criminals, but domestic workers are also robbed as they use the railway line as a shortcut to their work places,” he said.
One of the residents, Robert Young, said his house had been broken into ten times in the past year. “In two of the incidents, my wife and daughter were assaulted during the break-ins,” he said.
Selby Mdu Dlamini, Transnet Freight Rail senior manager for corporate affairs, said Transnet takes the concerns of the community seriously.
To this end there have been joint meetings between Transnet representatives, members of the local SAPS, the local community policing forum (CPF) and the representatives of the local communities. Out of these meetings, security guards have been deployed at the unoccupied buildings.
He said monitoring of the effectiveness of the security service will be done jointly with the local SAPS and CPF.
This is an interim measure while a more sustainable solution is pursued. Dlamini said an external contractor was appointed to manage vegetation on the line.
“We have noted the feedback from the residents on the inadequate frequency of cutting the vegetation. We have accordingly requested a detailed report from the contractor.
“On the basis of this report, we will decide on appropriate adjustments on the current process. It was further agreed to continue holding the above-mentioned joint meetings with a view to finding sustainable solutions acceptable to all parties,” he added.
Pollock said four security guards were appointed by Transnet, “Four guards are not enough to guard the length of the railway line, from Pinetown to Botha’s Hill.
The residents also confirmed that Transnet had appointed a contractor to cut the verges but said it only went on for half a year.
On Saturday night, 14 and Sunday morning, 15 May, three incidents were reported. In one incident a resident was held at knifepoint and robbed of a portable radio, TV set and other items.
