Sportpark train station taken over by informal settlers
Settlement dwellers have turned one of the stations buildings into a restaurant.
Centurion residents are becoming increasingly worried and frustrated with the growth of informal settlements in their area, particularly at local train stations.
A settlement at Sportpark station in Lyttelton Manor has many residents concerned for their safety and the condition of the local infrastructure.
According to resident Gustav Pieterse, the situation has been ongoing for far too long and they are looking for answers.
“We as residents want to know what’s going on here and how the metro plans on addressing the issue.
“We can’t get a straight answer from the metro or the council; meanwhile, all of this is going on right under our noses,” he said.
A truck carrying water was seen driving in and out of the settlement on Monday, delivering water to the dwellers.
The squatters have all but overtaken the train station.
One of the small buildings adjacent to the tracks has been transformed into a small but very popular restaurant with a dining area outside and TVs for broadcasting football matches.
The walls of this building have started to crumble, and many of the other surrounding buildings are in a similarly poor and decaying state.
Pieterse says he and other community members want to know who is supplying the restaurant and residents with water and electricity.
A recycling centre is also situated at the entrance to the settlement.
Pieterse says the recyclers are contributing to the community in a good way but still cause a disturbance early in the mornings.
He is also concerned about how the settlement will impact the running of the trains.
Currently, trains are not running through this train station but the wires that run above the trains have been replaced after they were stolen.
Members of the community are concerned about what effect the presence of the settlement will have on the system once the trains start running again.
“This is not sustainable at all and we want to know what the metro’s plan is going forward.
“You can’t have crumbling infrastructure like this and expect things to run smoothly once the trains are operational again.
“The metro will first have to do something about this settlement before they get the tracks running again,” said Pieterse.
Informal settlements on train tracks in Centurion have become a growing concern in recent times with a settlement on the tracks opposite Fountains Avenue also creating many problems for residents.
Residents allege that these informal settlements have resulted in an increase in crime, while others fear they are a den for drug users and dealers.
“There are many facilities surrounding the settlement and they all look terrible now, they are vandalised and a lot of dumping is being done there.
“There is a lot of littering and dumping and they also removed a piece of the palisade fence to gain access to the land,” said resident Celia van Zyl.
Ward councillor David Farquharson said people living in the settlement have been issued an eviction notice.
“They have all been served with the eviction notice but there’s no fixed date yet for their removal,” he said.
“It’s a very complex situation due to the land belonging to more than one party.”
The Tshwane metro had yet to comment by the time of publication.
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