Railway a haven for woonga addicts

Police are frustrated by the lack of support from railway authorities to squeeze criminals out of Durban’s crime hot spots.

Durban - Senior policemen are frustrated by the lack of support from railway authorities to squeeze criminals out of one of Durban’s crime hot spots – which reports an average of 15 theft cases a day.

The crime zone – between Dr Pixley KaSeme (West), Market, Anton Lembede (Smith) streets, Brook and Che Guevara (Moore) roads – has become a breeding ground for criminals and drug users.

According to police, both metro and the SAPS, since they clamped down on “Whoonga Park”, criminals were now gathering under the Anton Lembede Street railway bridge – largely out of view from the public – and are believed to be responsible for many crimes in the area.

These include smash-and-grab from vehicles, and theft from pedestrians as well as students at nearby colleges.

“They use the railway lines as their launching pad for criminal activity. We patrol the area, but still they outrun police. We are calling for the intervention of the railway police and Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa).

“They have been ignoring our pleas for help and do not attend meetings,” said a policeman with 30 years’ experience, who cannot be named because he is not authorised to speak to the media.

While police this week showed the Daily News how criminals and drug users climbed down from the Anton Lembede Street bridge using the root of a tree growing out of its side, Daily News photographer Motshwari Mofokeng was surrounded by five drug addicts, ready to steal his camera. Police had to come to his rescue.

Along Market Road, drug addicts have broken the concrete fencing to gain entry on to the railway lines.

More than 100 drug users and criminals sat under the bridge – wrapping, crushing and smoking whoonga – despite police screaming at them from above to disperse. They did not bother to move as trains thundered by.

“Fifteen policemen cannot take on this crowd. They pelt our cars and police with rocks and stones. Young girls are also among the crowd.

“If all the stakeholders pool together we can flush them out and shut this place down. We can sort them out on road level, but not on the railway lines. It is very dangerous,” the source said.

Across the way, the concrete fencing on the Brook Road bridge has been smashed by vagrants and drug addicts in their numerous attempts to evade police.

A construction team was this week busy erecting fencing and sealing off the holes, while police – sjamboks in hand – stood guard, protecting them.

Prasa spokesman, Lesedi Mapheto, said they would send their special protection officers to assist police in their efforts to rid the area of crime.

Mapheto said they were willing to form a task team at national level to deal with the problems.

“Safety of our passengers and the public is paramount. Cable theft in KZN also affects our service. The issue of drugs must be dealt with by all law enforcement stakeholders. Police are making arrests. People should report all cases and appear in court, so that these criminals are not let off easy,” Mapheto said.

Durban Central police, railway police, Durban metro and others had conducted various operations in and around the Albert Park area to get rid of criminals and drugs in that area, said police spokesman, Major Thulani Zwane.

“Arrests were made and undocumented persons were arrested as well. Some of the vagrants ran away when they saw the police. Operations are continuing in that area with other role-players,” Zwane said.

The city had been working closely with police to combat the criminal activity, said its spokeswoman, Tozi Mthethwa.

However, she said the railway track in question falls under Prasa’s jurisdiction.

“The drug addicts are on the railway track which is patrolled and controlled by the SAPS railway and Prasa security,” she said.

Nonetheless, the city has been making arrests and doing clean-up operations to support interventions by Prasa and SAPS.

“The fence on Brook Street was damaged by drug addicts. It will be fixed. The tree being used by vagrants will be cut down soon,” she said.

Daily News