Kimberley North residents demand action amid escalating safety concerns
Residents of Kimberley North are growing increasingly frustrated over years of municipal neglect in their neighbourhood, where an open field and a dilapidated Transnet building have become breeding grounds for crime, fires, and health hazards.
Image: Danie van der Lith \ DFA
RESIDENTS of Kimberley North are at their wits’ end as they face daily safety, health, and service delivery challenges that have been left unaddressed for years. What was once a peaceful neighbourhood has increasingly become a hotspot for criminal activity, illegal dumping, fires, and dangerous infrastructure decay, all while calls for intervention go unanswered.
At the centre of this frustration is a large, open field adjacent to a long-abandoned Transnet building. The building, reportedly left to decay for more than two decades, has become a notorious hideout for criminals and drug users. Copper cable theft in the area has surged, and residents say the derelict structure is enabling this criminal network to flourish in plain sight.
This open piece of veld in Kimberley North is a major concern for residents in the area. Their plea is for the Sol Plaatje Municipality to fence off the area.
Image: Danie van der Lith \ DFA
"The building is completely broken; it’s like a free-for-all for anyone looking to hide stolen items or commit crimes unseen,” said one concerned resident who has lived in the area for many years. “And it’s not just the building; the grass around it gets so long, we’ve had rats, snakes, and even fires breaking out.”
Indeed, the field is unkempt year-round, with residents recalling multiple instances of fires breaking out during hot summer months. These fires, some started by street children and others simply ignited by dry grass and wind, have placed nearby homes in serious danger. One resident, whose home borders the field, has had to personally extinguish fires encroaching on his property and even had to repair fire damage to his lapa roof.
“It’s terrifying. Every summer, we’re on edge. One spark, and it could spread to our homes,” he explained.
Adding to the chaos is the issue of poor lighting. Streetlights on the same stretch of road have reportedly been non-functional for months at a time, plunging the area into darkness at night and further enabling illegal activity.
“What do we have to do for someone to take us seriously? This has gone on for too long. It’s not just a small nuisance; it’s a threat to our safety, to our homes, and to our children,” said a resident.
Residents are calling on municipal officials to intervene immediately. Their requests are not unreasonable; they are simply asking for the open field to be fenced off and for the abandoned building to be dealt with appropriately.
“We’re not asking for luxuries, just a safe place to live. We shouldn’t have to live in fear of fires, crime, and rodents while the authorities look the other way,” a frustrated homeowner added.
The DFA submitted a formal media enquiry to the Sol Plaatje Municipality over a week ago. As of publication, no official response had been received. In the meantime, residents in Kimberley North are still awaiting municipal intervention on the matter.