Waste pickers take over Ferndale Bird Sanctuary
The Bryanfern Residents Association wants action from city entities to restore the Ferndale Bird Sanctuary.
The Ferndale Bird Sanctuary has seen a sharp influx of vagrants and recyclers who have constructed makeshift dwellings.
What was once a safe space for residents to enjoy, and for birds to flourish, is now unsafe and full of waste. The waste pickers use the green belt for their collections and leave the area filthy. The waste also goes inside the river.
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Bronweyn Craig, deputy chairperson of Bryanfern Residents Association, explained that, at the beginning of 2023, they started receiving complaints about recyclers living and burning rubbish in the bird sanctuary on the corner of Vale and Oxford streets.
It was discovered that Johannesburg Water (JW) had broken the fence on Rocky Street, designed to protect the bird sanctuary and greenbelt by reducing human impact, to do a sewage repair in the greenbelt, leaving the sanctuary open and exposed.
“This is where the problem started,” said Craig. “They never repaired the fence they had broken. Then recyclers started moving in. There are now numerous shacks and mounds of recycling littering the river area.”
Craig further stated that crime in the area has also increased, and residents living along the greenbelt are increasingly affected. “The area’s security company, Savika Special Ops, can only do so much to assist and protect our community. This issue has been reported multiple times, and via various channels, including the South African Police Service and our councillor, who alerted our ward inspector. We have been told, for a year now, that a clean-up will take place in the greenbelt. We are still waiting.”
She added that they want the greenbelt to be cleared of squatters and rubbish, and the fence to be reinstated without delay. “Our residents can no longer use this once beautiful space for community walks. JW and City Parks are responsible for this mess.”
JW, City Parks, and the Johannesburg Metro Police Department were contacted about the issue. Their comments will be published when available.
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