A marathon battle to have a nest for criminals and vagrants cleaned up in the heart of Silverton is bearing fruit.
The open veld on the corner of Sokor and Jasmyn streets has at long last been cleared of all bushes and vagrants.
Local CPF member Dennis Frost this came about a month after a public meeting on the matter.
The event saw residents demanding action from ward councillor Freddie Pienaar and metro officials.
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Frost said people were relieved their cries of despair had finally been heard.
“We are very happy that they have cleared the bushes and removed the vagrants. Cable theft remains a problem though.”
The open veld was also the home of drug dealers, cable thieves and illegal dumpers.
Angry residents had been complaining for about two years that nothing was being done to attend to their problems.
They claimed cable theft had risen since vagrants moved in.
Another fear was that the area had become a health hazard.
The vagrants were accused of defecating in the open field and throwing food cans all over the place which led to rat infestation.
Residents even threatened to remove the vagrants themselves should nothing be done within the deadline they had given the authorities to act.
Resident Malvern Adams said at the meeting it was not fair that taxpayers’ grievances had been ignored for more than two years.
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One of the vagrants living in the area, Abraham Kabinda, said at the time he was not a bad person.
He only moved there because he had nowhere else to stay in Pretoria, he said.
“I do piece jobs around Silverton as a gardener but I do go home sometimes,” he said.
The vagrants were also accused of being rowdy, aggressive and intimidating.
Residents also complained about incessant barking by dogs that were uneasy about the presence of the intruders.
CPF spokesperson Jan Pretorius expressed delight at the outcome.
“We are pleased that progress has been made but we are still waiting for the City of Tshwane to fulfil their promise of fencing that piece of land,” he said.
Pienaar said he was happy some of the grievances had been attended to.
“We still have a problem with illegal business taking place in that area but we are working on it,” he said.
He said the metro was planning to do a proper clean-up which included removing stickers which mushrooming on poles.
“We want to ensure that the place is 100 percent clean.”
He thanked the social development department and all other concerned parties involved.
“Even though it was a challenge, in the beginning, to get them involved, they ended up coming through,” he said.
“I would like to thank them out of my heart especially the Tshwane metro police because we depend on them a lot.”
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