Squatters in residential area of Evander bring unwanted criminal activity

Concerns have been raised by residents and the Evander Ratepayers Association (ERPA) about the homeless who have erected their shelters next to a stream adjacent to the Evander Dam along Cornell Road.

Upon investigating, shelters could be seen and are clearly occupied by the homeless.

Concerns were raised about the increase in house burglaries and criminal activities since the squatters arrived.

“This has been a problem for months. There has been a tremendous increase in burglaries in this area,” said Johanny Jagadis of the ERPA.

The homeless are apparently also using the streams as toilets.

The water from these streams eventually flows into the Vaal Dam.

“This is a big concern. The same water goes to the Vaal Dam which we end up drinking and using for cooking,” said Jagadis.

He also said that Govan Mbeki Municipality and its law enforcement unit, and the police are well aware of the situation of the squatters, but do not remove them.

“Authorities are doing nothing about this. A meeting was held with the ERPA, police, waste management, law enforcement, business development and social development where these concerns were raised,” said Jagadis.

He said that even matters regarding the CBD and taverns were also raised.

When squatters are removed from one area, they will just go and find another place to squat.

A permanent solution on shelters needs to be made where the homeless can also be accommodated, instead of invading residential areas where law-abiding citizens need to pay rates and taxes.

Although the squatters seem to be quiet, residents say they are scared.

“We don’t know what their next move will be,” said a resident.

The resident said it is scary when having to pull into their driveway because one can not tell where the criminals are hiding out, especially at night.

“GMM must make facilities available for these people because it is not okay for them to stay there. It is not healthy and it is cold,” said the resident.

She said it is also not safe for the squatters, because when it rains, the streams are flooded and because the squatters stay on the banks of the stream, they can drown.

Concerns are that property values will also decline because people will not want to buy in an area surrounded by squatters.

Another resident, whose father is a member of the Muslim mosque situated on Cornell Road, said that the mosque used to allow the homeless to sleep at the church premises.

“I do feel sorry for them. They were staying at the mosque for a while but a few times we had to kick them out because of the mess they left,” said the resident.

He went on to say that the squatter was told they could return only under the condition that they clean up after themselves because of it being a church.

“They were leaving their faeces laying everywhere and they also started stealing materials,” said the resident.

The resident said that the police did nothing to help remove the squatters and that the removal of them was done by members of the mosque.

“We had to get members from Kinross mosque to help us remove the squatters.”

The resident once again pointed fingers at the municipality and said they need to address this problem of squatters.

“The crime is bad, nothing is safe here. They run straight into the field and towards the highway. You can leave nothing outside. They even steal our brass locks from our gates,” said the resident.

He said they can not leave the house without anyone staying at home at any given time of the day due to the escalating crime.

It is also said that the squatters help themselves to the taps in people’s properties and leave them running. They also dig in black bags and leave the place in a mess.

“They dig in the black bags for empty tins and stuff and leave a mess. Our property value is going down,” said the resident.

While the Ridge Times were speaking to residents and the ERPA, a police van just drove straight past the squatter as if it is a norm and allowed.