Ward 113 councillor Sue van der Linde says the ward remained peaceful during the planned protests relating to undocumented immigration last week, while several community issues were addressed through oversight visits and engagement with residents.

Van der Linde provided a summary of her work over the past week, highlighting service delivery, safety, flood mitigation and community support initiatives.

Ward remains calm during protests

The week began with a security briefing led by Mayco member for safety and security, JP Smith, ahead of the planned demonstrations.

Van der Linde said she shared the relevant information with residents to help them prepare.

She later joined fellow Subcouncil 3 councillors on oversight visits across their wards during the protests.

“I am pleased to report that Ward 113 remained calm throughout the day. The roads and residential areas were notably quiet, and the demonstrations remained largely peaceful, with no significant incidents reported by law enforcement,” said Van der Linde.

Illegal occupation addressed

The councillor said she also worked with neighbourhood safety officers to relocate rough sleepers from privately owned land near Eagle Park, following complaints from residents about fighting and concerns that a minor child was living on the site.

The area was subsequently cleaned, while requests have been submitted for the property to be declared a problem site and for invasive vegetation to be removed to discourage future illegal occupation.

Van der Linde also inspected an apparently abandoned property after concerns were raised by residents. The matter has since been referred to the relevant City departments for investigation.

Flood mitigation discussed

Last Friday, Van der Linde chaired a meeting between a Heron Waters resident and City officials to discuss possible flood mitigation measures.

She said several innovative proposals were presented to help improve protection against future flooding in the area.

The councillor also visited the new gender-based violence victim support unit, where she is assisting with furnishing a dedicated children’s room.

She said creating a welcoming and safe environment for children affected by trauma is an important part of supporting vulnerable families.

Fence replacement confirmed

Residents of Waves Edge were updated on plans to replace the security fence alongside the R27.

Van der Linde confirmed that funding for the replacement has been included in the current financial year’s budget, adding that residents’ feedback on the preferred fencing design would be shared with the City’s roads infrastructure management department.

The councillor also encouraged residents to register ahead of the final voter registration weekend on 1 and 2 August.

“Although next week marks the second week of Council recess, I will continue working in the ward, attending to resident concerns, conducting oversight, and driving service delivery,” said Van der Linde.

She thanked residents for their continued support and encouraged them to continue reporting service delivery issues and engaging with her office.

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