West residents encourged to not support recyclers
Vagrants often use the area around Groen Dam to sell and use drugs and dump trash
West residents were encouraged to desist from paying recyclers to get rid of their trash.
This was during a recent clean-up effort led by ward 1 councillor, Leon Kruyshaar and supported by SAPS and TMPD members.
The partners tackled an open field area in Daspoort, ward 1 – popularly known among locals as Groen Dam.
According to Kruyshaar, the dam is a popular spot for recyclers.
“The problem that we have is that all the vagrants that gather here take their recyclables to the exchange on Moot Street. They bring rubbish, sort what they can sell and whatever they can’t discard or set alight, that’s why you see all these burning patches around,” Kruyshaar said.
“The other problem that we also have is that members of the community are assisting them with this, what they do is give them their bins to go empty for a fee.”
Kruyshaar said the clean-up was requested by the community and the residents around the Dam have also complained about the rampant drug use in the area.
“There’s a lot of drug use which has become a big problem. Almost every place that we visit now, you can see, just between the trees the amount of drugs and stuff that we got, syringes and everything.
“Unfortunately, some of these needles are being supplied to them and it’s become a market, they’re actually selling. They openly use it in the streets, and that’s not acceptable. I’ve had a lot of complaints from parents regarding that. So I decided we have to deal with this,” he said.
Kruyshaar said the land belongs to the Tshwane metro and that SAPS and metro police should do regular follow-ups to ensure that vagrants no longer occupy it.
Watch the full video here: https://www.tiktok.com/@leonkruyshaar13/video/7281499143795789061?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
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