What was once a community swimming pool in Newlands has become an illegal dumping hotspot and a suspected gathering place for criminal activity, prompting renewed calls for the site to be secured and transformed into a community facility once again.

Ward 82 councillor Marilyne Smouse said the issue has been ongoing since last year, with residents repeatedly reporting illegal dumping, burning of waste, and suspicious activity at the site. According to Smouse, discussions with JPC began in 2025, when residents and city departments inspected the property during an accelerated service delivery programme. While Pikitup has continued clearing the site, she said the clean-ups have become a fruitless exercise, because illegal dumping resumes within days.

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Smouse said Johannesburg Property Company (JPC), who owns the site on Italian Road, recently indicated that it plans to fence off the property to prevent further dumping and unauthorised access, and is waiting for that commitment to materialise.

Rather than leaving the site vacant, Smouse believes it should be redeveloped into a facility that benefits the wider community. “If the swimming pool is not going to be restored, I’d love to see it become a skills development hub, where young people can learn trades such as carpentry and other practical skills. It is a large space that should serve the community instead of standing abandoned.”

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She added that if the property is ever put out to tender, any future development should prioritise the needs of Newlands residents.

Smouse said the condition of the property also affects families using the neighbouring gymnastics club, with parents and children regularly passing the neglected site. “It’s not a beautiful sight. We encourage children to participate in sport because a child in sport is a child out of court, yet they have to train next to an abandoned property filled with dumping and other activities.”

JPC acknowledged the publication’s media query. They stated that their department is currently gathering and confirming the necessary information, and will provide feedback as soon as they receive a confirmed response.

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