Carmen Siebritz, councillor for Ward 63, says she is on a mission to reform Wynberg East to its former glory, starting with having commuters and local residents experiencing a clean and safe Public Transport Interchange (PTI).
Thanks to collaborative efforts by Siebritz, the City of Cape Town’s Public Transport Interchange cleansing branch; the City’s Solid Waste Management, and the Mayoral Urban Regeneration Programme (MURP) team, a joint clean-up was organised and held on Tuesday 15 February to rid the Prasa-owned plot next to Yusufeyyah Masjid in Mosque Road of excessive litter accumulated by the street people living there.
Siebritz describes the social conditions at the PTI as appalling. “This, however, will not change if the mind-set of the custodians and all who use the facility does not change.”
She says this is why she requested a meeting with all stakeholders.
“The PTI is occupied daily by Golden Arrow Bus Services, taxi operators, informal traders and then, of course, there are vagrants occupying the hill at the said PTI. Communicating and calling on all stakeholders, especially Prasa, who owns the land, has proven to be the best thing to do.”
According to Siebritz, a meeting, facilitated by the PTI manager, Dwynne Fruen, was held with stakeholders – including Prasa officials, City officials from the Department of Solid Waste, and a representative from the Masjid – a week prior to the clean-up.
The City spokesperson Luthando Tyhalibongo says last week’s joint operation – by the City’s Solid Waste Department (Wynberg depot), Public Transport PTI cleaning and Prasa cleaning staff – was done to maintain cleanliness in the area. The scope of the work was focused on cleaning.
However, Tyhalibongo adds that litter removal in the areas that are occupied by street people on the PTI road areas was not part of the clean-up.
“The City and Prasa have scheduled a meeting to discuss long-term solutions to keep the area clean while the vagrants are living on the land. The clean-up that took place on Tuesday was not the last and we are looking at cleaning up more areas,” says Tyhalibongo.
Siebritz says she too has pledged her full support by joining hands with Prasa to make this a regular exercise. She says an ongoing partnership between stakeholders is very important.
“With that being said, I am concerned about the future of the vagrants occupying the hill at the PTI. I have communicated my concerns and have asked Prasa what their plans are, if any, when the National State of Disaster Management Act is ended. I have yet to receive a response,” says Siebritz.
Yunus Karriem, an exco member of both Wynberg East Civic Association (Weca) and the mosque’s committee, shares this concern. Karriem, says the issue on the hill and along the Prasa railway line “co-incidentally” started immediately after the Standfontein temporary shelter was closed in May 2020.
He says keeping the PTI clean is very important, not only for businesses and commuters and residents, but also for the mosque and its congregants.
“In fact, the concern from the mosque led to the meeting with all the stakeholders. We’ve been told that the ideal long-term plan – to relocate the people to a better space – is only possible once the Disaster Management period comes to an end. Further to this, the residents can voluntarily decide to relocate or check into a shelter or return to their family environment.”
Karriem says, although they are thankful for the clean-up, they are yet to see concrete plans from Prasa or the City. He believes they should already have the plans in place for relocation when the Disaster Management period ends.
“For two years now, ever since the residents ‘found their way’ here, Weca has persistently requested that the daily issues and the long-term plans be addressed and executed as a matter of urgency. We cannot have a situation where the situation in Sea Point, for example, is addressed but Wynberg is neglected,” he adds.
The PTI consists of two sides of which Siebritz is responsible for the East side. The councillor says she is committed to doing whatever it will take to get things right, starting with the basics such as cleanliness.
“I have asked that community groups such as Weca and the Wynberg East Neighbourhood Watch (WENHW) partner with me to hold illegal dumpers to account by reporting not only dumping but also any illegal activity in the area.
“I would like to extend this invitation to the broader Wynberg East residents too. I feel it is important to be held accountable by the residents, yet they should be prepared to be held accountable too. Only through partnership and teamwork, will we achieve success and restore the area to its former state,” Siebritz concludes.
