BARRY HERTZOG – Refuse and neglect, and the raucous behaviour of occupants of illegal communal homes in Barry Hertzog Park have been reported in the Advertiser ad nauseam over recent months.
Read: Conditions at shopping centre are intolerable
A resident in the area claimed conditions continually deteriorated, and many, including herself, feel compelled to leave the suburb in search of peace.
“I have put up my house for sale as I can no longer bear the arrogance, noise, drinking and [people] urinating in public. I just hope I will get a buyer, as no one wants to buy houses in this area due to the crime, shopping complex and communal homes,” she said.
Over and above, she alleged she had been harassed by occupants of a neighbouring communal home, after the municipality notified owners of such homes to comply with legalities within seven days, two weeks ago.
“The owner of the commune situated next to me accused me of not wanting to live next to black kids. Her words to me were, ‘where must the black kids stay now, because this one doesn’t want black children living next to her’. It seems as if the commune owners are now making this a racial issue. They seem to ignore the fact the there are rules to abide by. I only hope that through persistence and perseverance the neighbourhood will be restored.”
Allegedly, a group of young adults gathered at the communal home and shouted, “you know these white people! We will not rest until this issue has been resolved.”
Apart from escalating friction among residents, there are reports that crime has increased and house burglaries have become a prevailing worry.
This is supported by events on Saturday, January 29, when the Newcastle 911 policing forum spent the evening chasing three men who earlier attempted to burgle houses in Barry Hertzog Park.
At around 1am, Newcastle 911 received a Zello call from a resident in Tielman Roos Avenue, asking for help after noticing a burglar in his yard.
Seconds later, they received another call from a resident in Havenga Street, also reporting burglars in her yard.
Within minutes, members of the police forum arrived and searched for the suspects.
The police joined the 911 forum, and chased the suspects on foot to the veld at the Farmers Hall.
Read the full story in the Newcastle Advertiser newspaper out every Thursday.
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