A growing informal settlement along the Transnet railway reserve near Van der Hoff Road in Daspoort, Pretoria West has turned into a hotspot for crime and environmental hazards, leaving Ward 1 residents increasingly concerned for their safety.
According to the ward councillor, Leon Kruyshaar , the site has seen a rapid build-up of illegal structures among the trees, which occupants are allegedly using as a lookout point to target nearby homes.
Kruyshaar said illegal activities on the land have escalated significantly.
“There’s drugs being sold there, they are doing recycling on the railway line, they’re living there, sleeping there,” he said. “They’re using it as a base to break into people’s houses because they can watch the people from there.”
He said the occupants also routinely set open fires to burn stolen electrical cables and scrap metal for sale to local recycling dealers, creating heavy smoke and raising the risk of veld fires.
Kruyshaar said authorities face severe legal hurdles when attempting to clear the land. He explained that government bodies remain cautious about forced removals.
“I think they’ve got a box law before where they actually move people and then the courts came and rule against them. Then they have to give those people something for the inconvenience,” he said.
He further said resolving the crisis requires multi-agency action across different spheres of government.
“While Transnet owns the reserve, the City of Tshwane and the Tshwane Metro Police Department oversee by-law enforcement and environmental violations, while the South African Police Service is responsible for criminal investigations.”
Kruyshaar urged community members to maintain pressure by lodging official complaints with the relevant departments.
