Eldoraigne residents worried about squatter invasion

Residents of Eldoraigne extension 18 are worried that a group of squatters along the R101 Old Johannesburg road is growing.

Resident Gibbon Schickering is one such resident who is worried that there is little that residents can do about the problem.

“Our biggest problem is that it is growing, and the illegal structures are growing. There are more and more people sleeping along the boundary wall. It’s becoming a nightmare.”

The Escourt Road and R101 intersection is busy with illegal vendors setting up shop.

Schickering said that during the winter when it is cold, the squatters are more likely to build structures and start fires.

He said that when residents complained, they were told that plastic shelters were not considered structures.

This means that only structures that can be classified as such can be removed by the metro.

“But those structures have been standing there for months now, and when they are removed, a new structure is erected.”

Schickerling said that the squatters had begun moving across the street.

During the winter, he said that residents along the boundary wall that faces the R101 were worried that open fires the squatters made were a hazard.

“Some of the residents have thatched roofs along that wall,” explained Schickerling.

“We know that once they settle, then we have a serious issue.”

Other concerns include the traffic disruptions caused by taxis stopping at the intersection of Escourt Road and the R101.

Resident Sean O’Brien told Rekord that the residents were told that the squatters could only be evicted with a court order.

“We were initially told that there is nothing we could do because there were already permanent structures erected (which means you cannot evict without a court order),” said O’Brien.

However, he said that many of the squatters had not built permanent structures.

“We have laid numerous complaints regarding safety, security and health issues, to no avail.”

The residents say that in other places, it was possible to erect barrier poles and set up parks such as the nearby Escourt Park, to manage issues such as these.

But residents say the solution is not possible given the size of the space occupied by the squatters.

Ward councillor Cindy Billson said that the problem was that the R101 is a provincial road.

Because of this, it was the provincial government that had authority over the space.

Billson said the residents had signed a petition and approached the Gauteng government for help.

“We had joint operations with SAPS and immigration. However, until Gauteng Roads takes responsibility, and keep the shoulder of the road maintained on all levels, this will continue,” said Billson.

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