Special report: Sex, crime and grime
Residents have had enough and insist that drastic measures need to be taken.
PEOPLE who live near a certain park in Margate are fed up with the raucousness and commotion caused by prostitutes in the area.
The once peaceful area where many gathered to picnic or enjoy lunch has deteriorated into a paradise for vagrants, prostitutes and drug dealers.
The area is in a state of neglect, and is in need of urgent attention from the municipality.
Herald reporters visited the area during the day and after nightfall.
In the daylight, the area was discovered to be filthy, strewn with litter, empty liquor bottles and dozens of condom wrappers.
There are no bins provided and people discard their rubbish wherever they please.
People who live in Homestead, Collington, Erasmus and Churchill roads say they have had enough of the noise and having to pick up the rubbish on a weekly basis.
The reporters’ investigation at night proved that prostitution is rife in the area, with most of the sex workers appearing to be very young.
The prostitutes’ clients park their vehicles in Collington Street, right next to the houses and the women were also seen taking their clients into the bushes in the park.
The corner of Homestead and Collington roads is well known as a place where prostitutes congregate, urinating and defecating against the wall.
“They have sex and urinate against my wall. You should hear how they carry on, even breaking the branches of the trees on my verge,” said an annoyed resident.
Another resident said that the prostitutes ‘make a racket’, keeping the neighbourhood awake for most of the night.
He added that when he shouts at the prostitutes, they swear at him. He described the area as dangerous and the prostitutes as ‘vicious’.
“These women are having illegal sex in a public area, and the police don’t take it seriously,” said the resident.
Residents believe that if the trees were trimmed and street lights installed on Erasmus and Collington roads the prostitution would stop.
George Henderson, DA Ward Councillor, said he was aware of these issues and had reported them to the relevant HCM officials on numerous occasions.
“I also serve on the executive of the Margate Business Association and I know that it reports on these issues on a weekly basis. It has also been reported to the SAPS and the Margate CPF,” he said.
He said Hibiscus Coast Muncipality (HCM) must keep the park neat and tidy and enforce the relevant by-laws and patrol the area after hours.
HCM spokesman, Simon Soboyisa, said that maintenance to the park was done on a four to six week cycle.
However, he noted the complaints, and said that solutions would be put in place, including more frequent cutting of the grass and the installation of litter bins.
He added that that the municipality’s law enforcement section would engage with SAPS in Margate with the aim of mounting a joint operation to address the other issues.
He said that if members of the public still had problems in the area, they were free to contact assistant superintendent, Robbie Robinson or Tony Davis at 039 3166125.
