Drugs and crime take over the Hill
Residents want something to be done about the huge drug and crime problems in their area.
The drug problem in Proclamation Hill is partly to blame for the high crime rate in the area, claim residents.
Mike Bosch, resident of Proclamation Hill, said drugs were rife and accessible at the block of flats in WF Nkomo and a nearby café.
“The people smoke dagga openly in front of the café and it is sold there as well. The Heuwel Primary School is only a few metres away from the café and small kids are exposed to such things,” complained Bosch.
“The bottle store next to the café condones the youngster’s behaviour, and it will make the small children believe that the actions of the youngsters is correct and this is the life they must adopt,” he said.
Bosch said the crimes taking place were house burglaries, stealing of small goods that criminals sold to support their habit, and pick-pocketing.
Another resident, Vusi Malane said people had been mugged in the streets. He said several houses had also been burgled over the past months.
“We cannot live like we are in jail. We need to get rid of the criminals because we know who they are and where they hang out,” Malane said.
With all the crimes taking place in Proclamation Hill, Bosch said police were aware of the situation and tried their best to assist the residents.
“We will have to start doing something about our area, as Pretoria West was once a nice middle class area to stay in, but now we are ashamed to even say where we live,” said Bosch.
SA National Civics Organisation (Sanco) chairperson, Nagesh Chetty said there were so many scrap metal dealers in the area that anything that looked like metal or brass or fencing around the park got stolen and sold.
“Every corner is a scrap metal dealership and crime is on escalation day by day. As Sanco we have a duty to comply with and our people have reported criminal activities and nothing is done,” said Chetty.
He mentioned that streetlights and even devil-forks around the parks in the area got stolen.
“Our area is the worst for crime and drugs. In 50 years, from where our society started, it has gone backwards. The minister of police needs to act and come down to see how the managers of the [police] clusters are failing us,” indicated Chetty.
Bosch said residents wanted this area to return to being a respectable area, before they are forced to sell their houses because of crime.
He said the mayor of Tshwane, Kgosientso Ramokgopa should help them fight the crime and bring back Pretoria West to its former good standard.
“We need the mayor to come as a normal community member and take a drive through Pretoria West and see what we must live with. He must come and experience the traffic problems, taxis driving contra flow, the difficulty to walk or drive down Rebecca Street and all the crime,” said Bosch.
Pretoria West police had not responded by the time of going to print.
Ward councillor Danie Swanepoel said he was aware of the crime and drug problem in the area.
“It is a huge problem we are facing. We have an active CPF in the area that also helps combat the crime,” he said.
“Residents should engage with the CPF about the problems they have.”
Swanepoel said unemployment, among other things, was the main factor that caused such behaviour to take place in the communities.
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