SOME locals from Ashley have raised concerns over the alleged increase in the number of student residences being developed in the area.

One of the locals, Trevor Shepstone, said: “This is very concerning as this has a serious knock-on effect [on] the infrastructure which was not taken into consideration and the value and rates as well as the general safety and peace of the community.”

According to Shepstone, student residences are also being developed at a concerning rate in the areas of Caversham Glen and Mariannhill Park.

Another local, Sue Backehansen, said for many of these developments, residents had not been afforded an opportunity to lodge written objections with the eThekwini Municipality.

One student residence, Backehansen said, is located on her street, 4th Avenue, and allegedly accommodates between 12 to 15 individuals.

According to Backehansen, due to noise disruptions emanating from this student residence, a neighbour was reportedly forced to sell their property.

Another student residence, added Backehansen, is on Aloe Road in Ashley where there are “parties every weekend, the noise is terrible”.

“You can’t tell them to quiet down, sometimes it goes on to four in the morning,” said Backehansen.

A number of student residences have also sprung up on Majuba Street, according to Backehansen.

“And there are always complaints about noise, about people going around drinking and the crime has gone up,” said Backehansen.

She added that many of the properties being sold in the area are being converted into student residences despite these not being constructed to accommodate so many people.

“It is just a really big concern for us,” said Backehansen.

Backehansen shared a copy of a notice from the eThekwini Municipality for an application to rezone a plot from a special residential 1 to general residential 3, to make way for student accommodation on 18 4th Avenue for 28 students.

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According to the notice, the public have until March 30 to lodge written objections to this application.

“It is a very big concern to the people around here,” said Backehansen.

The area’s councillor, David Ngubane, said he has never received any complaints regarding the increased number of student residences and associated concerns residents raised.

Student residence boom fuels noise, crime fears

Nicky Esterhuizen from the Ashley Residents Neighbourhood Watch said this has been a major concern for years.

“It has just gotten really bad,” said Esterhuizen, who added that locals refer to the student residences as “party houses” because of “the music, shouting, peeing on the sidewalks, [e-hailing services] and unknown cars picking up party-goers at all times of the evening and early mornings”.

“These parties carry on from Friday nights until Sunday afternoon. Sometimes during the week as well,” said Esterhuizen, who said this has resulted in an exodus of longtime residents.

“Around these houses the litter is disgusting,” said Esterhuizen.
According to Esterhuizen, not all student residences in the area have been approved, with property owners forging ahead with their businesses despite public outcry.

“When the students march through the streets of Ashley, from one residence to the next, drumming up votes for the student body, the poor residents of Ashley hit panic stations and think we have riots again,” said Esterhuizen, who alleged that when law enforcement is called in or students are called to order, this is rebutted with threats from students.

“The students and the property owners who rent to them seem to have no regard for the laws, building laws or by-laws and as a traditionally quiet community this is leaving a bad taste in everyone’s mouths as we feel like the system is failing us,” said Esterhuizen.

In light of the numerous complaints Esterhuizen said she receives weekly, she urged the relevant stakeholders, including the SAPS, Metro Police and relevant municipal department to conduct inspections on the student residences.

The municipality’s Marketing and Communications deputy head Gugu Sisilana confirmed “that an application has been submitted for the rezoning of [a] property from Special Residential 1 to General Residential 3, together with a Special Consent application to accommodate 28 students”.

Sisilana said this application is still “undergoing the statutory public participation process”, with “two valid objections” received by the municipality so far.

“The City would like to emphasise that not all student accommodation developments in the area have been approved, and the municipality enforces compliance where complaints are received,” said Sisilana.

@caxtonlocalmedia Some residents in Ashley, Pinetown, have alleged that disruptive behaviour, which includes drinking and urinating in public and excessive noise, occurs at student residences in the area and have urged the eThekwini Municipality to take action. #HighwayMail #studentresidence #durbannews ♬ original sound – caxtonlocalmedia

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