No-shows dismantle Alberts Farm police clean-up
ALBERTS FARM – Plans for clean-up operations at parks in the area are underway.
A planned clean-up operation failed to go ahead, even with the presence of City of Johannesburg, Metro police, South African police and community policing representatives.
This because of park rangers’ and City by-law enforcement’s failure to show up for the Alberts Farm operation on 30 June.
Although Metro police’s Wayne Minnaar revealed that the commander responsible for operations in parks was not aware of the operation, a Metro police superintendent was there.
The 5.30am operation was meant to target displaced people living in the park. By-law contraventions were meant to be recorded together with the profiles of the people living there.
But in order for this to happen, mandated officials needed to be present.
Chairperson of Sophiatown’s Sector 3 Crime Forum, Andrew Burger, said the ‘displacement unit’ has started attempting clean-up operations once a month.
He believes that this makes a difference and helps to stop crime.
“We want to make the park safe again,” he said.
Burger said most of the displaced people are informal waste recyclers.
“Not everyone is a suspect, but they get noted and documented and they know about us.”
Friends of Alberts Farm, a volunteer group aimed at preserving the park, have been voicing their concern about lack of by-law enforcement and the disregard for by-laws in the park.
They have opted to erect a fence around the park, hoping this will be the solution. But funding for the fence has been scarce with little support form the community and local businesses.
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