Taxpayers up in arms over metro’s “nuisance” policy

Residents in Mountain View in Pretoria North say they are so livid that their complaints about the alleged suspicious activities in and around a “problem” house in their neighbourhood are coming to nothing, that they have formed a group to protest together.

They say the loud yelling, screaming, extreme swearing and banging on their gates are driving them up the wall.

Mountain View, a neighbour to Parktown Estate, Suiderberg and Daspoort Estate, lies in the crook of the R80, or John Vorster Road, as it veers north out of Roseville.

For fear of intimidation, these residents asked to remain anonymous but have formed a concerned citizens’ group, compounding their influence in different spheres of life.

To one resident the biggest worry is the large number of people living on the premises, as well as babies and toddlers living in a house where there is no electricity.

“This calls for welfare intervention,” said the resident.

According to another resident, water was restricted to the plot, but the owner allegedly tampered with the meter numerous times and bypassed the meter to gain access to the water.

“As a community of ratepayers with small children and elderly people, the list of activities in the house is concerning to us now – not only as individuals anymore – but as a street and neighbourhood. The residents of this house are disturbing our peace and it may even be a breeding ground for criminal activities. The community fears for their safety and well-being, and are concerned about possible burglaries, harassment and violence,” said the resident.

Members of the community reached out to different role players but were unsuccessful in receiving a satisfactory response as of yet.

“We even reached out to the bank that holds the bond on the house and the metro, but to no avail,” confirmed a resident who contacted Rekord.

“From the metro’s side, we gather that they really do not want to help. They really do not even care how many people live on a premise under any conditions and this includes conditions that might lead to the suffering of children,” said the resident.

The group is also concerned about the view taken by the metro on getting involved when something “becomes a nuisance”.

“What does this even mean? What, to the metro officials, constitutes a nuisance?” asked a resident.

Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo confirmed that the city’s Health Department only intervenes “where there is a nuisance”.

“The number of people staying on a plot will not be material as long as there is no health nuisance that arises from such habitation. The mentioned plot is privately owned, hence the owners will be held liable for any nuisance found to exist on the plot,” explained Mashigo.

He pointed out that the city’s Social Development Department will deploy social workers to investigate the matter of children living under these circumstances.

“If social workers are of the view that the children need care and protection according to the Children’s Act, the matter will be referred to the social workers from the Gauteng Department of Social Development for possible removal to places of safety,” said Mashigo.

With regards to the alleged tampering with the water meter, Mashigo confirmed that the matter has been escalated to the city’s Water and Sanitation Department for an inspection of the illegal connection.

If no sewage is being taken away from the plot, it might constitute a health hazard, said Mashigo.

“In such a case there will be a health nuisance that will lead to communicable diseases hence the city’s Health Department will conduct an investigation and deal with compliance in line with the National Health Act 61 of 2003.”

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