Residents’ vow to continue cleaning up the area, after the City of Johannesburg’s Citizen Relationship and Urban Management (CRUM) Region B team held a massive clean-up campaign in Windsor East. The clean-up was on Earls Avenue and Beatrice Street, with the Courtyard building, once again, a focal point.
The building remains a problem, continuing to be a drug den, despite meeting all requirements to be classified as a problem property, as per the Problem Property By-Law Section 7. A building is declared a problem property if one or more specific circumstances, such as abandonment, illegal occupation, structural unsoundness, or consistent non-payment of municipal services for extended periods, are met, and the title means that the building should be scheduled for demolition.

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CRUM collaborated with the urban inspector of Ward 98, Augmented Field Services, Pikitup, JMPD Operations and By-Law Management services, Blackheath Spur, Gauteng Transport Association, Ward 98 councillor Beverly Jacobs, and the community during the clean-up initiative.

Manager of service delivery for Region B Auriel Koloba explained that the clean-up was successful, as the city, together with the community, improved residents’ quality of life. “The city is going to continuously educate and empower residents, including recyclers, about illegal dumping. It’s all about changing the behaviour of the community members.”

He further stated that the aim of the campaign is to keep the area clean at all times. “The more the area is clean, the more it attracts investment. The value of the properties goes up and we eliminate the element of crime. Residents should take ownership of their environment, and it will alleviate urban decay, because sustainability is in place.”

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Region B CRUM has a schedule to conduct high impact service delivery operations on a continuous basis, by bringing relevant resources which will make a positive impact to the area.

Koloba added that councillors will do oversight, community will take ownership, and the city will monitor the situation and provide necessary resources to sustain and maintain areas.

Regarding the Courtyard building, Jacobs said that the issues, and the condition of the building, have been ongoing for years. She confirmed that she will continue to fight to get it sorted.

Patrick Kule, a resident and committee member, explained that Windsor used to be better place, when the community cleaned up the area. “We used to have weekly clean-ups. Looking how things are now, it is not right. The kids that grow up here are exposed to all this. There is nothing normal about the state of the area now. We need to come together, as the community, take charge and assist where we can.”

He added that they will have the clean-ups at least twice a month to keep the area clean. “There will be a lot of changes, and we will do our level best to get things done around the area”

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