A road reserve in Wierda Park, next to Hendrik Verwoerd Drive, between Theuns van Niekerk Street and Willem Botha Avenue, has become a source of mounting frustration for residents in the area.
Residents living near the site have raised multiple concerns about the deteriorating state of the reserve, claiming that it has become a hotspot for illegal dumping, overgrown grass, crime, and unmanaged street trading.
Nico Vos, chairman of Eldosec Security Village, said that illegal dumping in the area has been ongoing for far too long and continues to severely impact the quality of life for nearby residents.
“It’s not just the illegal dumping; there are people urinating against walls, others sleeping next to the road at one stage, and even drug dealing happening there. It’s a constant nightmare,” he said.
“There’s one resident living near the Fuchsia Gardens Complex who has been directly affected,” Vos added.
He said that numerous complaints have been raised over the years.
Vos said the dumping began in 2017 and shows no signs of permanently ending.
“The dumpers dig holes, dump bricks and building rubble inside, and then cover it up again.
“Workers from the municipality come to clean the site every now and then, and within a month, it’s back to where it was.”
Vos also mentioned that the situation is further complicated by overgrown grass.
“The lawnmowers can’t even cut the grass properly because it damages the machines.
“But at this stage, everything has been cleaned again, at least for now. We haven’t seen any new dumping since the recent clean-up.”
In response to ongoing issues, Vos said he recently met with ward councillors Cindy Billson and Marika Kruger Muller, as well as resident Don Kemp, to discuss possible solutions.
“We’re working on engaging with the grass sellers to form a partnership, where they act as our eyes and ears on the ground,” he said.
“We’ve asked them to report any illegal dumping and take photos. But the problem now is that the dumpers are catching on; they’re hiding their number plates and company names.”
Ward 69 Councillor Cindy Billson confirmed that she has received numerous complaints about the road reserve and the lack of sustained intervention.
“This area continues to be neglected,” she said.
“There’s constant illegal dumping, overgrown grass, and unregulated trading.”
She claimed she previously attempted to have the Department of Economic Development formalise trading in the area but was told the land is a road servitude earmarked for future development.
“There’s no timeline or actionable plan from the city; meanwhile, unmanaged activity is leading to crime, especially since this is right across from schools.”
Billson emphasised that she understands the traders’ and residents’ perspectives.
“The traders are trying to make a living, and the community needs cleaner, safer public spaces.
“I can’t force the community to stop buying from these sellers, and I can’t get rid of the sellers either. But the city’s failure to regulate this has left us with rising crime, including previous drug busts in the area.”
She said, despite various interventions, including patrols from the Tshwane metro police department, no long-term solutions have been implemented.
“I’ve escalated the issue several times and offered suggestions, but they were ignored,” said Billson.
“So now I will make the plan and implement it myself. If we can’t formalise this, at the very least, we must keep it clean.”
Spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the metro has launched a task team comprised of multiple departments to address by-law enforcement issues across public spaces, including road reserves.
“As part of our intervention, the city’s waste management division has developed a clearance schedule specifically targeting waste dumped illegally along this route,” he said.
He added that joint operations are periodically conducted by the Metro Police’s By-law Enforcement Section, along with officials from Environmental Management and Waste Management, to clamp down on dumping and illegal trading.
“These operations aim to address not just the dumping but also the activities of street vendors contributing to the issue,” Mashigo said.
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