Cape Town - Aylesbury complex residents in Wetton are calling on the City of Cape Town to attend to their complaints following several failed engagement attempts aimed at discussing major issues of vandalism and crimes in their council-owned flats.
Community leader Keith Blake said a request to authorities to engage in a meeting on site fell on deaf ears.
“The aim of the urgent multi-purpose meeting with authorities is one of almost desperation from the residents.
“I am on an Aylesbury Flats Safety WhatsApp group and this group has for years had major issues of vandalism and crimes in their council-owned flats. They have reported a house at 3 Becot Road, Wetton, opposite the flats, as a drug and criminal haven for years, but the house, that is City-owned, is still active and thriving to the detriment of residents of Aylesbury Flats in Miller Road, Wetton.
“In desperation, residents have requested that I take up their cries of woe and despair with the mayor and JP Smith to deal with vandalism issues and crime-related issues in and around Aylesbury Flats.”
A resident, Barry Stephenson, said they had been in the area since 1981 and it was the first time they lived in fear. He said that they needed safety gates downstairs at each block so they can keep away the thieves who keep stealing the wires and pipes.
Another resident, Amina Rossouw, said: “We tried to speak to both JP Smith and the mayor’s office and nothing has been done. We’re in desperate need of police patrol from midnight to 5am because that’s the time when vandalism happens.”
The City said it was aware of the work required at the Aylesbury CRU and that officials would attend to the necessary repairs in due course.
“The health and safety of our residents is our priority and we urge residents to be patient while we attend to the most urgent cases first. The City encourages the residents to approach us with their enquiries.”
Law enforcement spokesperson Wayne Dyason said: “The City’s enforcement services do patrol the Ottery/Wetton area. However, they are not able to maintain a static presence in any one particular area.
“The public is urged to report incidents of vandalism to the Public Emergency Communication Centre (PECC) by dialling 021 480 7700 from a cellphone or 107 from a landline. This will also assist in helping to identify hot spots and resources required to respond.
“It has to be acknowledged, however, that crime and vandalism are endemic and the City’s agencies are not able to respond to each reported incident as quickly as they’d like.”
siviwe.melapi@inl.co.za