THE Alberton RECORD have done articles on crime and the squatters in Alberton North, but the police do nothing.
To date we have had numerous break-ins again despite upgrading security around the premises which has been extremely costly due to the lack of interest by Alberton SAPS to react to our complaints/requests.
We phone SAPS Alberton nearly every day as it is absolutely unbearable to work due to the people in the informal settlement playing music for the whole of South Africa, the fighting, screaming, shouting etc is a daily constant.
We call and they just transfer us to various SAPS staff who promise to come and silence the people, but now they just refuse, saying that the illegal residents claim they have the right to stay here and they can do what they want.
Our question is what right do they have to stay here? Did they buy and pay for the land they built their shacks on? Do they pay Ekurhuleni for their water and electricity? We as companies pay rent, we pay for the utilities we use and then we must try and maintain a work environment with smelling portable toilets, ridiculous noise levels, drunk people, break-ins and other crimes, etc. Some of our staff confirmed that illegal substances are sold there, three of the shacks are run as shebeens and SAPS just look the other way because they are too “scared” to enter or raid this hell hole. We are told not to take matters into our own hands but with the absolute lack of interest and help from SAPS, what other option do we have?
This whole situation is unacceptable and we want something done about it.
Linda De Jong
RECORD contacted the Alberton Police as well as the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality for comment, but they did not reply by the time of going to print.
Comment:
On Thursday, July 20 a raid was executed at the camp by various law enforcement departments.
WATCH: Two arrested during squatter camp raid on 2nd Avenue
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