RESIDENTS and businesses in different parts of Athlone want politicians to tackle housing as well as safety and security.
With just three weeks to go before the local government elections take place, Weekend Argus visited Athlone to speak to residents on whether political parties are making promises that speak to the issues plaguing the area.
A diverse community, Athlone according to the 2021 census has more than 45 000 residents who live the mix of double-storey houses with gardens and the higgledy-piggledy shacks. The are also flourishing family-run business which has lasted generations.
And according to the latest crime statistics from April to June, Athlone came in 10th among 30 stations in the country for drug-related crimes.
Nazeem Mohamed, owner of the family-run fabric supply company Hilite, said safety was key for ensuring the area was attractive for customers.
“We need safety and security for our businesses to continue to operate and for customers to feel safe enough to come to our areas and buy from us,” he said.
“We need police or law enforcement to be more visible in our areas to ensure the safety of our customers and business. The roads and street lights need to be serviced properly so that, once again, customers can come out and support our businesses.
“And the areas surrounding our businesses to be a priority, there are people living in our communities in need of services like housing and water that need to be helped.”
For Sayeeda Samsoodien, 54, a Rylands resident for the past three years, safety was a key factor.
“Our biggest problem is crime. We have to live behind high walls, electric fencing and cameras in order to feel safe, and that isn’t even enough at times,” she said.
“I don’t even go out at night because it is not safe to be a female pulling out of your own driveway at night. We do have a neighbourhood watch and private security companies, but that is not always a deterrent because, by the time they respond, something has already happened.
“Our neighbour had someone try to break in a while ago, and luckily, the dog was alert, and the person ran off, but what could have happened otherwise.
“We also have a squatter camp close by whose kids wander the streets and come knocking on doors to ask for food. We give what we can as well as to the local Mosque which provides meals, but if the government isn’t doing enough for those people, then the problem persists.”
Having spent just 20 minutes in a neighbourhood with manicured lawns and double-story houses, at least three different armed response vehicles were spotted by the Weekend Argus teams. A few job seekers standing on the main roads were also visible, which residents say is another concern.
A few kilometres away is the Pooke se Bos informal settlement, which has been around for well over 20 years since private land was occupied along Pooke Road near the industrial area. Rivulets of water from the communal tap and discarded trash is what first greets those visiting the informal settlement.
Henry Solomons, 54, who has been a resident of the informal settlement for 20 years, said poor sanitation and unfulfilled housing promises plagued his community.
“Many of the people living here have been on the housing waiting list for 20-plus years and are living in poverty for generations,” he said.
“This is no way for people to live. There is a toilet system that was donated to the City by the Germans some 14 years ago, and while it worked properly in the beginning, it is now a run-down, broken system that leaks sewerage where children play and is a health hazard.”
A woman living near another communal tap situated near a toilet system, whose waste mixes with the spilt water from the tap, keeps a small stick to scare small children from the waste.
Just over the road, the owner of Savoury Kitchen operating out of Athlone Industria 1, Aysha Salie, said little to no assistance to small business owners was killing the industry.
“Political parties and their big promises are not speaking to the needs of small business owners who at times are the lifeblood of communities such as Athlone in that we provide job opportunities,” she said.
“The red tape and administrative controls make it so difficult for businesses to not only be compliant but to continue to operate in these tough economic times.
“We used to supply businesses and restaurants and flea markets in town, but with the slow recovery, it means we are still struggling to stay afloat with no tax breaks.
“I live in Rosebank, and there I know who my councillor is because he is active in the community, but before then, I lived in Rondebosch East and just like in Athlone, I cannot tell you who the ward councillor is because they are ineffective.
“We are close to the informal settlement across the road, and crime there affects us here. More needs to be done to address those challenges and not just make empty promises.”