Shelley-Lynne Kemp, Plumstead
The council went to a huge expense to fence the entire parking area outside the northern entrance to Plumstead station, next to the Checkers centre.
This was to keep the cars safe and to keep out the street people who had set up camp and were littering so badly. However, the
gate was never policed and remained open right through the night, when it should have been closed by at least 7pm, after rail commuters had fetched their cars.
It is now an absolute tip of a place with garbage piling up on one corner where cars are supposed to park and with the street people still camping out plus spreading their wares over every area of the pavement for sale.
My daughters use the train daily and are now afraid for their safety. Rats will start visiting the area.
I tried to stop the municipal truck one morning, asking them to please collect the rubbish, but they take no notice.
Ward 73 councillor Carol Bew responds: It always amazes me to know how people can go to all the trouble to report service delivery needs to the media and can’t wait to express their discontent.
This could be avoided by having residents become active citizens and logging a simple service delivery request by sending an SMS to 31220 for electricity technical faults and 31373 for water technical faults or an email (contact.US@capetown.gov.za) with the City of Cape Town.
Plumstead parking lot was enclosed as a project from my ward allocation funds. Combat Force very kindly agreed to lock and open it. The gates were unfortunately vandalised and this has caused the arrangement to fall away for the moment.
Solid Waste has already cleaned the area. This does not however include the weeds and grass which needs the attention of City Parks, which has a challenge at the moment because of the mowing tender going to appeal.
Meanwhile, City Parks has made alternative arrangements to address the mowing required. Smaller contractors have been appointed as an interim measure.
City Parks is also addressing the problem by attending to the problematic parks and public open spaces within each area. Areas such as major roadways and public open spaces that pose a problem from a security perspective are being prioritised.