Newcastle Municipal staff, traffic officers, and police officers converged under the Hardwick Street Bridge on Friday morning, 21 June 2024. Their mission was to address the growing population of homeless people living under the bridge and to tackle the significant litter problem resulting from this community.
Speaking with Newcastillian News, Chief Traffic Officer, Ashok Anandhaw, noted that the homeless people living under the bridge had come from various towns, such as eDumbe, Pietermaritzburg, and Madadeni.
“There are a number of people who live here permanently, while there are others who collect cans or come here to strip items down to recycle. We have given them notice to vacate the area and return to their respective homes and towns,” said Anandhaw. He added that the Municipality would follow up on the matter and take necessary steps if the homeless community did not vacate the bridge.
After notifying the homeless that they had to vacate within a few days, police officers and Newcastle Traffic Officials maintained a watchful eye as the Newcastle Municipality’s team began cleaning the area. The vast amount of rubbish polluting the river running under the bridge, and the land around the makeshift homes was now finally being addressed. Such was the volume of litter that refuse bags were filled to the brim within minutes. The Newcastle Municipality also sent a truck to help clear the rubbish left by the homeless.
Furthermore, members of the homeless community, who were under the bridge at the time of the Municipality’s arrival, watched as the team started clearing the area. Some gathered in a small group to discuss the morning’s events.
If you can recall, as reported by Newcastillian News on 12 June 2024, the homeless community under the bridge has significantly increased. The situation has escalated to the point where Newcastle CPF’s Ismaeel Dhalech explained that this small community could be linked to various crimes in town, highlighting the importance of their removal from the area.
To read more, click here.
As steps are now being taken to clear the area, what are your thoughts on the above? Share your views in the comment section below.
14 Responses
Homeless people living under a bridge gets the Traffic Department awake, but road accidents and traffic violations don’t?
What has Newcastle become?
The Traffic Department taking on non-traffic related issues…what a joke.
Exactly! Everyday there are accidents on Drakensburg drive because this is a priority.
I am.living at Osizweni ward32 there is a big trench from top rank down to valley Cafe. This trench is very dirty . Big mouse and snakes inside this trench. We request to be assisted by closing it or contract a concrete v drain.
Thanks
Where do they expect these people to go, no one would just opt to live under a dirty bridge if they had options. We should do more as a community and create means for them.
Newcastle’s biggest problem is the CPF thinking they can rule this town! Cut off the cancer that is spreading hatred to those that are struggling before it is too late! Where does the municipality expect these people to go? If people could go home they obviously would! We are not a first world country, homelessness is expected! Get rid of the CPF cause clearly they aren’t doing anything good! Crime is up in all areas because of the ECONOMY not homelessness. As a town we need to fight this evilness. Churches and temples need to come together!
You can’t blame the CPF for the situation, they do assist or have you got a gripe against the CPF cause they didn’t assist you( obviously you one of the community members who complained every few minutes and wasted resources). The homeless bridge dwellers have homes, in our townships they just choose to stay under the bridge cause there is no control over their drug usage, they are most times the reason why our crime rate went up, as for the filth they caused under the bridge cost the municipality time and money to clean up, in my opinion the work and time put in by our by our law enforcement us worthy of a few gold stars, cause now people who walk that way to get their jobs will feel safer , those homeless bridge dwellers robbed many a person walking to work. Endangering lives, well done to our dedicated CPF MEMBERS WHO VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME TO HELP KEEP US SAFE!!!! SAME GOES TO OUR SECURITY COMPANIES, TRAFFIC OFFICERS AND SAPS MEMBERS YOU GUYS HAVE THE WORST POSITIONS POSSIBLE BUT KNOW SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS DO APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS.
Shame, clearly you’re part of the CANCER that’s destroying the humanity and empathy of this town. If you don’t see that the CPF is a CANCER then you’re ignorant. I don’t need nor would I want their help. What good have they done? Crime is up in all areas, look at zone 5. The CPF throws their weight around and that’s it.
You’re so ignorant by thinking everyone has home to go to. What about those that ran away from abusive homes? Those that were sexually abused? You think the majority of beggars would want to sleep under a bridge if they had a home to go back to?? What about the homeless kids?? If you’re not willing to show some compassion to those that are struggling it’s okay, karma always comes back around.
I pray one day you are able to show some empathy.
You correct I don’t have sympathy for the homeless bridge dwellers, as for the CPF I appreciate their efforts, they volunteer their time and resources with maybe some help from donations, bear in mind not only is it community members who make up the CPF, the PRIVATE SECURITY COMPANIES also volunteer their time and resources to non paying clients, I have seen how they all do their part. Maybe you should volunteer your time and realize what these unsung heroes are doing for us. And yes I salute them all, as for the traffic officers who work within the municipal officers they are in full right to address the bridge dwellers as these people have posed a threat at traffic lights, we who drive those roads on a daily basis has to face sad little faces( which are fake), these traffic light beggars stand there in hope someone will slip them money for them to buy the next drug fix. Have you sat back and thought who would pay the bill should one of these beggars be knocked over, once again it’s resources which could be used for more serious incidents, i
personally see the traffic officers in the afternoons doing traffic control, on the busiest roads, those who expect traffic officials to be on every corner are really not seeing the big picture, all road users are responsible for following road rules, it’s not the traffic officials faults there are so many accidents, if the drivers of vehicles obey speed limits, road rules extra then many accidents could be avoided. Seems as if people of Newcastle are more interested in fuelling the bridge dwellers ways and how the pollute the rivers, rather than safety of the town. So yes I once again salute the law enforcement involved in the removal of these menaces who have decided to live under a bridge.
Homeless people under a bridge is not something the Traffic Department should be involved in. The name of their department says what they should be keeping themselves busy with…or were they issuing parking fines and inspecting unroadworthy trollies under the bridge?
Biggest problem is we do not read to understand the context of the article but read to satisfy ourselves.
The traffic department has By Law officers of which it would be good to research their roles and responsibilities. With the population growing how do you expect Traffic officers to be present at every corner,they are understaffed.
If in doubt take time out from your busy complaining schedules and visit your Local Municipality to actually understand what goes on.
Humanity needs to visit many.
The Traffic Department is absent everywhere. Standing on street corners in the morning does not absolve them from their normal duties. Its plain and simple. In your educated and well informed opinion, can you tell us how many speedtraps have you seen since the beginning of the year? I am fairly certain that the duties of the Traffic Department pertain to traffic management, and is not only limited only to whatever scope you think it is. Understaffing is an issue that many departments face, but it is not an excuse for then doing nothing at all. And as for By-Law Officers, should the Traffic Department not enforce the LAWS of the ROAD, first and foremost? Again, their duties and areas of responsibilities are clearly stated in the name of the Department. It is not the By-Law Department, now is it?
You quick to judge the roles of traffic officers, just because they are in uniform doesn’t necessarily mean their main role is standing in the middle of the street doing traffic control, maybe you should consider studying to become a traffic officer and see what their roles are, if you take the time and see what these guys and girls do you will appreciate them more, I have seen them work on the busiest roads in town, controlling traffic, do you honestly think that there is enough manpower available for these traffic officials to be available in every street, monitoring the road users of this town, the results of accidents is due to the road users who don’t obey road rules, speed limits ect. You can judge the traffic officials however you don’t judge the road users who drive like hooligans. I say step into the traffic officials shoes for one day and see how difficult their jobs are. With the issue of the bylaws the traffic officials who assisted with the bridge dwellers fall under municipal officials and who enforces the bylaws the municipality so yes those officials form part of the bylaws and have being appointed as officials to enforce bylaws, and yes they are also responsible for traffic. Get off your judgemental chair and take time and observe and be more informed on the duties of traffic officials.
The community members will always only see what they want, like for instance the traffic officials roles in the town, the community are oblivious to what the municipal traffic officers roles are. They not only there for traffic control, those who see the traffic officers only in that role, should make an appointment and visit the head of traffic department in this town, and those are not informed of what traffic departments role is, will have their eyes opened in ways they didn’t realize, or maybe they should go study to become a traffic official, they would probably run in the first week of being an official. Always easy to sit on the side lines and judge officials but have no real knowledge of their work situation. I stand 100 percent behind our law enforcement guys and girls, they get shouted at, sworn, insulated yet they go risk their lives everyday as they choose that profession but doesn’t mean they not human and don’t have feelings.
You correct I don’t have sympathy for the homeless bridge dwellers, as for the CPF I appreciate their efforts, they volunteer their time and resources with maybe some help from donations, bear in mind not only is it community members who make up the CPF, the PRIVATE SECURITY COMPANIES also volunteer their time and resources to non paying clients, I have seen how they all do their part. Maybe you should volunteer your time and realize what these unsung heroes are doing for us. And yes I salute them all, as for the traffic officers who work within the municipal officers they are in full right to address the bridge dwellers as these people have posed a threat at traffic lights, we who drive those roads on a daily basis has to face sad little faces( which are fake), these traffic light beggars stand there in hope someone will slip them money for them to buy the next drug fix. Have you sat back and thought who would pay the bill should one of these beggars be knocked over, once again it’s resources which could be used for more serious incidents, i
personally see the traffic officers in the afternoons doing traffic control, on the busiest roads, those who expect traffic officials to be on every corner are really not seeing the big picture, all road users are responsible for following road rules, it’s not the traffic officials faults there are so many accidents, if the drivers of vehicles obey speed limits, road rules extra then many accidents could be avoided. Seems as if people of Newcastle are more interested in fuelling the bridge dwellers ways and how the pollute the rivers, rather than safety of the town. So yes I once again salute the law enforcement involved in the removal of these menaces who have decided to live under a bridge.