Drug dens, a scrapyard’s toll on a neighbourhood and neglected public areas, were among the concerns Athlone residents raised during a meeting on Saturday to discuss crime.

About 80 people attended the meeting, which was held by the SAPS Mitchell’s Plain Sub-district, at the Ex-Servicemen’s Club in Silvertown.

Police stations in the Mitchell’s Plain Sub-district are Athlone, Lansdowne, Philippi, Lentegeur, Mitchell’s Plain, Strandfontein, Steenberg, and Grassy Park.

At the meeting, residents asked whether a scrapyard was allowed in a residential area, and Nazeem Ajam, from Parktown, claimed thefts in the area had increased since a scrapyard had opened.

“They steal stuff and sell it at the scrapyard. My worry is also whenever places are ill-maintained, crime creeps in. There are bushes where they sit and do drugs or burn wires. Sometimes I try to chase them away. I asked our councillor to maintain the open fields, so that crime can stay out, but they don’t do that. They just say yes, but nothing is happening. If they do some maintenance, the contractors do it half-heartedly with broken tractors.”

Mitchell’s Plain Sub-district commander Brigadier Mark Hartzenberg told the meeting that scrapyards were not confined to industrial areas.

“There is a process that must be followed, and a permit must be approved. In this case, it must be approved by (Athlone police chief) Colonel Junaid Alcock. You can even have a scrapyard operating from your house, but there are different processes that need to be followed by the City of Cape Town and the police as well. If there is a concern, you can give the address to Colonel Alcock and he will make sure that the scrapyard is compliant,” Brigadier Hartzenberg said.

Mr Ajam was assured that Colonel Alcock would give feedback on whether the scrapyard was legal.

Responding to complaints about neglected public spaces, Ward 49 councillor Rashid Adams said he reminded the City’s recreation and parks department regularly about maintenance in the ward.

Residents should approach their ward councillor if they felt nothing was being done so it could be raised at sub-council, he said.

Alvin Cerff, of Bridgetown, complained about how long it took to close drug dens, saying he knew of some that had been around for years.

“Why does it take so long for the authorities to close it down?”

Nuraan Kalam, of Bridgetown, criticised the organisers of the meeting for not giving it adequate publicity.

“Our communities don’t know about this meeting. I was only informed about it last night,” she said.

She also complained about poorly maintained public areas, saying: “We have so many shootings going on. I have asked for the trees to be cut because the shooters sit in the trees.”

Brigadier Hartzenberg said that apart from the mostly gang-related murders in the sub-district, much of the area’s crime was down.

“It is my duty to work with you and listen to you; it is my duty to ensure that Athlone and the sub-district of Mitchell’s Plain is a better place. It is difficult, but together we can rise, and we will win this thing. Together we are stronger.”

He urged those who attended the meeting to speak out against crime.