uMngeni Park: Haven for vagrants and prostitutes
Northglen News found more than 50 condom wrappers dotting the bushes along the river and a shack that was embedded in the river bank.
THE move by the city to forcibly move hundreds of vagrants and drug addicted youngsters from ‘Whoonga Park’ that is situated in the notorious Albert Park has backfired.
The vagrants, according to the CPF have now moved north and have invaded the banks of Riverside Road.
Prostitutes are known to ply their trade on Riverside Road that was also the scene of the brutal murder of Greenwood Park Police Captain, Basil Naidoo two weeks ago. But police say the problem has been exacerbated by the removal of the vagrants from the city centre.
Northglen News went on a raid with Greenwood Park Police and members of the Community Policing Forum late last week to see just how bad the problem was. The vagrants and prostitutes use a disused nature trail path that is now strewn with condoms and cardboard boxes. The path runs the length of Riverside Road and extends as far as the Connaught Bridge. Brian Daish, chairman of sector four in the Greenwood Park Police region said he was concerned with vagrants living in the bush because of a number of muggings of cyclists who use the route bordering the path.
“I continuously hear about cyclists getting mugged in this area,” he said. “Vagrancy has been a problem for many years in Durban North but in recent weeks, we’ve seen an influx of people living in the bushes,” he said.
Northglen News found more than 50 condom wrappers dotting the bushes along the river and a shack that was embedded in the river bank.
“There were signs it was being used as a shebeen.” However, according to Daish not all vagrants posed a threat. He said a criminal element existed among some. Vagrants were also blamed for the arson attack on Beachwood Mangroves education centre last month after the land invasion unit forcibly removed a settlement.
“Greenwood Park SAPS have been super in their response but I believe the onus should be on the Metro Police regarding the vagrancy issue. These patrols draw the resources from the SAPS,” he said.
He added the municipality’s land invasion unit had dismantled some semi-formal structures under the Connaught Bridge.
“We need the commitment from Metro Police, land invasion, and parks to undertake sustained operations to resolve this problem,” he said.
