Municipality to investigate homeless issues
Are the homeless people under the Hardwick Street bridge to blame for burglaries at the Oval Track?
Cubicles made of boxes and discarded canvas serve as makeshift homes, a small fire to cook food which they begged for or salvaged from refuse bins.
A small community of 20 homeless people have called Hardwick Street bridge their home for the past two years.
Their presence has, however, allegedly brought crime to the area.
Boet Buys, chairperson of the Oval Track committee, said he believed the destitute community are responsible for burglaries at the Oval Track.
“They have broken the ceilings and walls in the club house to get to copper cables. They have stolen other property as well and we just cannot keep up with fixing and replacing stuff,” he said.
Another small community of destitute people live on a vacant plot of land in Sutherland Street, Paradise.
Hidden behind shrubbery, the small group said they have been living in Paradise for well over a year.
The municipality were not aware of the homeless people’s presence under the bridge and Paradise.
“I disagree with the statement that these people have been there for over a year, if the issue of land invasion is brought to our attention we attend to it immediately,” claimed the municipality’s communications department.
Despite this, the communications department said the matter would be investigated.
Thr Housing and Land Directorate, together with Community Services and Town Planning Directorate would need to work closely to monitor all areas,to curb squatting.
Squatters can be reported to the Directorate Human Settlements office and the Director for Town Planning on 034 328 3300.
To read more about the homeless society, as well as burglaries at the Oval Track, click on any of the links below:
BREAKING NEWS: Oval Track burglars speed away in stolen vehicle
MUST READ: Newcastle’s hidden society
Newcastle’s homeless society; larger than we thought
Newcastle’s homeless overwhelmed by support
Homeless society comes under scrutiny
One on one with Paradise ‘squatter’
Scraping to survive in a cold world
THANK YOU NEWCASTLE: Hidden society no longer ignored
THANK YOU NEWCASTLE: You helped save a life!
