No end in sight in residents’ R101 squatters battle
Residents near the Old Johannesburg Road have been battling for years to have their concerns addressed about squatters and informal vendors in the area.
Residents living near the R101 Old Johannesburg Road say that informal businesses and squatters that they have been battling for years are getting out of hand.
“And this isn’t just old Johannesburg Road, it’s all over Centurion, and it seems to be getting worse and worse,” Wierdapark resident, Hanlie Truter, told Rekord.
Truter said she started raising her concerns early on in the year but was disappointed that little was done.
“You can’t just moan about something without following through, so that’s when I decided I would join the bandwagon.”
When she complained, she was told that the city had sent someone to move the squatters and illegal vendors from the regional road.
She said on that same afternoon, the squatters and vendors were back.
She said she was worried about health and safety risks.
“It’s going into summer now, but in the winter months, the fires are a worry. There was a fire close to a boundary wall. It endangers our property,” said Truter.
The squatters and vendors do not have toilet facilities, and Truter said there was no way to ensure that their businesses were operating hygienically.
“As a taxpayer and a resident who diligently pays my rates and taxes, I expect service delivery and that my area is neat and safe. Currently, these services are not provided by the council or province.”
Truter said she was concerned that residents were expected to ensure the neatness and cleanliness of their areas and at their own expense.
Residents in the neighbourhoods adjacent to the R101 have previously raised funds to build and clean parks in open spaces to keep the spaces safe and clean, such as Senekal Park on the corner of Estcourt Avenue and Goshawk Street.
“It is a shame that residents must resort to taking on the further expense of cleaning and tidying our areas, a responsibility of the city.”
Ward councillor Cindy Billson said the problem was that the R101 is a provincial road.
Because of this, the provincial government had authority over the space.
Billson said the residents had signed a petition and approached the Gauteng government for help.
The November 2021 petition made clear that the “current situation is posing a health risk to the community”, and the “safety of community members are being threatened” as “clearly evident from rising crime in the area”.
She also said that the city had done some work to clear the space, but that it was an uphill battle.
“We had joint operations with SAPS and immigration. However, until Gauteng Roads takes responsibility, and keeps the shoulder of the road maintained, this will continue,” said Billson.
Billson told Rekord she had once again raised the issue, but was yet to receive a response from the provincial government.
In 2021, Sean O’Brien of Rooihuiskraal North said he signed the petition because he was concerned the authorities did not have a grip on the problem.
“We have for the past five years endeavoured to get this issue resolved, to no avail. Except for it being an eyesore in the neighbourhood, we believe that occupants contribute to the rising crime levels in our area,” O’Brien said at the time.
Now, he told Rekord that his previous comments still stand.
“This issue dates back way further than 2021. If memory serves me right, it has been an ongoing issue dating back eight years or thereabouts.”
Also read: Metro warns theft and vandalism of traffic lights cause disruptions to traffic flow
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
