Chris Van Der Spuy, Sea Point
Your item (“Battling crime and grime,” Atlantic Sun, March 31) refers.
The legalistic approach seems to be that anyone who wants to sleep anywhere in public space can do so and ratepayers can do nothing about it. This is unacceptable.
A municipal policemen told me he finds as many as 30 people sleeping around the gym equipment at Three Anchor Bay daily. I see several sleepers around the Graaff’s Pool area every morning.
Yesterday, I saw a few people, mattresses, sleeping bags and all, settling in for the night against the wall of Ellerton Primary School.
The situation is getting worse and the risk to health of filthy clothing and bedding, possibly with used hypodermic needles, left where pets and children can be hurt or infected, has to be addressed.
I suggest the lawn irrigation system be turned on for 30 minutes every morning and evening – good for the lawn and not good for vagrants.
A small truck from City Cleaning, the staff equipped with gloves and protective gear, can cruise side streets, the promenade and the beaches and remove unattended bags, packing material bedding and so forth, from public spaces and under manhole covers. This would be a good start and not infringe anyone’s democratic rights.
