CONSTANTIA | WYNBERG
TUESDAY 26 January 2021 | Tel: 021 910 6500 | Email: post@peoplespost.co.za | Website: www.peoplespost.co.za
@ThePeoplesPost
People’s Post
WYNBERG
Station gets facelift NETTALIE VILJOEN NETTALIE.VILJOEN@MEDIA24.COM
S
ix police officers, 21 law enforcement officers, 13 Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) protection service members and 10 contract security guards descended on Wynberg train station and environs at 10:00 on Friday 22 January. “Thirteen illegal vendor stands were removed in front of Wynberg station; searches were conducted and 16 people were removed for loitering; and 10 fines were issued to a total value of R24 000,” says Riana Scott, Metrorail spokesperson. The joint-operation clean-up, which included Prasa protection services, Wynberg police, Wynberg search unit and law enforcement, was a continuation of the Prasa clean-up project of the Wynberg train station and surrounds that started on Tuesday 12 January. Word on the ground in Wynberg East, however, was that Friday’s operation was originally meant to focus on an open field on a hill opposite the Yusufeyyah Masjid in Mosque Road. About 100 structures have been erected – many during lockdown – on the Prasa-owned land. According to Scott, due to a challenge with solid waste truck drivers, the focus of the operation shifted to illegal trading and minibus taxi’s (MBT) illegal parking on Friday. “Regrettably, Covid-19 and accelerated Prasa service recovery priorities have taken centre stage with the result that current resources have had to be re-directed until further notice. “Under adjusted level three regulations, we do not yet have our full complement of human and other resources at our disposal. We request patience and understanding as we attend to these critical initiatives as best we can under prevailing circumstances,” Scott says. The Wynberg East Civic Association (Weca) states the reason why the circumstances at the field urgently need to be addressed is three-pronged. Firstly, with Wynberg having been declared a Covid-19 hotspot and the field’s proximity to the transport interchange, the
prevalent non-adherence to lockdown regulations at the site holds a health threat. Secondly, there is the issue of hygiene – the absence of adequate water and ablution facilities. And, thirdly, there is the criminal element within this settlement “which is running out of control”. People’s Post reported on the homeless challenge in Wynberg East earlier this month (“Breathing a sigh of relief”, 12 January) when residents told of their elation when a large group of people who had been camping out illegally on the pavement in Broad Close moved on.
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housing is misaligned and the prevailing economy unsupportive. Covid-19’s adverse impact on the economy has exacerbated unemployment and homelessness,” Scott says. She points out all vacant Prasa land in the Western Cape has been zoned and/or designated for future development and operational requirements. “Joint operations have been successful short-term solutions as it merely serves to displace an inherent social problem, worsened by lockdown that ideally requires a sustainable solution from the relevant authorities,” Scott concludes.
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According to the National Disaster Management Act which is currently in place, law enforcement cannot confiscate any personal items. Tents, bedding, as well as clothes are deemed personal items and cannot be confiscated. This has placed a hold on the removal of people who are illegally occupying land. Prasa says the number of homeless people living on Prasa-owned property across the Western Cape has increased since lockdown began in March last year. “Land invasion is, however, not confined to Prasa only – it is a broader issue endemic in areas where supply of and demand for
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About 100 structures have been erected on “the hill” in Mosque Road, Wynberg East, since lockdown began.
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