Thornton residents took a proactive approach to address the effects of vagrancy in the area. On Sunday 22 October, several bags of items were collected and transported to the solid waste drop-off facility.
The clean-up initiative was launched by the Thornton Ratepayers and Residents Association in partnership with other organisations including Pinelands Community Policing Forum (CPF), Thornton Neighbourhood Watch, Watsonia Street Committee, Thornton Islamic Society, Thornton Methodist Church and residents.
According to Yazied Davids, the public relations officer at Pinelands CPF, the programme aimed to clean up the mess left behind by vagrants who use the area as a toilet and dump their unwanted goods.
“Vagrants were previously caught trespassing on the Methodist church property and sleeping on the roof. Cables were stolen from the property this year as well,” says Davids.
“Law enforcement has been to the site several times this year after complaints were received by the Pinelands Community Police Forum of people sleeping in the area, setting up illegal structures and harassing residents. There has been a lack of support shown by businesses at the Denneboom circle to address the concerns raised. A large knife was discovered during the clean-up as well as human faeces on the church premises,” says Davids.
The Ward councillor of Thornton, Riad Davids, said there were about 30 residents spanning Thornton Ratepayers and Thornton Neighbourhood Watch.
