BARRY HERTZOG – Residents of Barry Hertzog Park are outraged because the conditions at the Barry Hertzog Park Centre are deteriorating by the day.
Read: Burglars target Barry Hertzog Park
Residents claim the crime rate has escalated, people were drinking in public and uncontrolled communal housing in the area only added fuel to the fire.
“We face drunk people at the centre on a daily basis and it is annoying to residents who wish to buy their bread and milk after work,” said a resident who opted to remain anonymous.
The resident claimed these problems had been brought to the attention of the municipality, but were still prevalent. He said weekends and holidays were especially bad because the students gathered at the complex to party and there was no parking available, as the students crowded the complex.
“It is not only the issue of people overcrowding the centre. Time after time my children have been exposed to people urinating wherever they felt like it. It is disgusting and someone needs to put an end to it. This complex used to be a family shopping complex. When did this change?”
One of his greatest concerns is that his vehicle could be damaged, as the parking area is littered with broken glass.
“I have to be so careful when driving through the complex because I am scared the glass will puncture my tyres, and it is expensive to replace tyres! Not only is the glass problematic, but drunk people constantly speed through the complex, which is bound to cause an accident soon. I have even noticed people doing ‘doughnuts’ and spinning their tyres at the complex.”
The resident said he could only hope residents’ cries for help would soon be heard, and that the state of Barry Hertzog Park would be rejuvenated, and peace would be restored to the neighbourhood.
Shahil Singh of the Department of Town and Development Planning admitted complaints raised about the shisa nyama at shopping complex had been brought to the municipality’s attention.
He said the owner of the enterprise had employed a caretaker who was responsible for cleaning the area and that he was complying with the municipal bylaws.
“On several occasions, the shisa nyama was in fact found to be well maintained and clean, and the cleaner had been sweeping the building and the car park area.
The owner of the property said extractor fans had been installed to control the smoke emitted from a braai, to preserve the colour and appearance of the buliding, and minimise the chance of a unplanned fire.
Mr Singh also claimed the owner was in the process of submitting amended building plans, with aesthetic amendments, to address the current negative image of the area.
The owner has committed himself to submitting the building plans to the municipality before the end of October 2016.
The owner is cooperating with the municipality’s requirements and has expressed his commitment to address and resolve the listed issues.With regards to the criminal activities that occur, the SAPS attend to reports and resolve them efficiently,” he concluded.
Also read: AfriForum slams Newcastle Municipality for Barry Hertzog Park debacle
