As service delivery continues to deteriorate in local municipalities, residents remain inconvenienced as a result of political instability, incompetency and just plain ignorance.
Old Rugby Club informal settlement (Jerusalema) resident Allen Cozens was awarded a piece of land by a court order in August last year. According to him, the City of Johannesburg Housing Department allocated him the stand which is directly under a huge blue gum tree.
The oversized branches often break off and fall onto the roof of his home; fortunately thus far there hasn’t been any damage or injury.
According to the former City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) employee who is a trained paramedic, firefighter and has a health and safety degree, he knows that in terms of the building regulations one is not allowed to build a structure under a tree of this magnitude and size.
“They have gone against the building regulations but they totally dismiss me and will not assist.”
Cozens told the Record that when he was allocated the stand he asked the department to assist in removing or cutting down the tree as it was a potential hazard to him and his family.
He also spoke to a Johannesburg City Parks employee known to the Record as Matshidiso who confirmed that she was aware of the Cozens’ situation.
“I am aware of the matter; the Department of Housing needs to provide me with a budget to attend to the tree. Firstly, I need to meet with them for an assessment and identification of the correct tree, but they haven’t shown interest. Unfortunately, my laptop has been broken for the past week, so I haven’t been able to do further follow-ups. I will follow up this coming week and I will be able to provide you with feedback as well,” said Matshidiso.
According to Cozens, one branch was cut before he moved in and from then on he was totally ignored. He has been trying to negotiate with authorities for over a year now.
Cozens claimed that he had been sent from pillar to post – from senior management to some employees of the Johannesburg Housing Department who totally dismissed and ignored him.
Eventually, three months ago, he spoke to the Assistant Director of Housing who promised to look into the matter.
“Everything started with a project coordinator named Razia, who allocated us the stand we occupy. She never resolved the issue and has now disappeared,” said Cozens.
He had spoken to the previous ward councillor Caleb Finn, but cannot get hold of the new ward councillor Keke Tabane whom he claimed had never visited the area.
The Record contacted Councillor Tabane and asked him if he was aware of the issue of the tree.
Tabane told the Record that he was not aware of the matter and promised to contact Cozens in order to assist him urgently.
According to the Department of Housing spokesperson Neo Goba, the matter sounds more like a City Parks and Zoo issue.
Goba told the Record that the department would revert once the relevant officials have responded.
At the time of publishing, no response has been received from the Department of Housing spokesperson.
