Residents force scrapyard to shut

Residents of Amalinda have forced a scrapyard to close after an alleged spike in break-ins at nearby properties where thieves steal metal, including the gates to people ’ s homes and their gate motors.

Residents allege the spike in incidents happened after a new scrapyard opened in the area.

The city, under the guidance of mayor Xola Pakati, is taking a hard stance against scrapyards, calling for the national government to totally ban the trade.

The national crime stats show that robberies from non-residential areas have also shot up in BCM, with East London leaping to second-highest on the list of towns in SA for the number of reported cases.

On Monday, Amalinda residents arrived at the gates of the scrapyard, carrying placards calling for its closure.

Lwando Sikiti, one of the affected residents, said he was shocked to discover the theft of his gate motor.

“I was checking outside around midnight when I saw the gate was open.

“I tried to close it with the remote, thinking it had accidentally been left open, but it didn’t work. Then I found the motor had been taken.”

Two men were spotted on a CCTV camera stealing the motor, and were later caught by a community patrol.

The men subsequently admitted they had dismantled the motor and claimed to have sold the parts to the scrap merchant, Sikiti said.

Another resident, Edah Mipk, woke to find her gate and outside tap missing.

The gate has since been recovered in the Amalinda informal settlement with the help of the community patrol unit but the police have not yet released it.

“So there is no gate, and there is no tap for water.”

She said she would be heading to the police station to collect her gate and had already found someone who would reinstall it.

Asked if she feared for her safety, she said: “What can I do? There is nothing I can do. “We are not safe.

“I live with my kids, my husband passed away in 2012. It’s not nice, it’s bad.”

Protester Siyasanga Tyalisi said they realised the scrapyard was operating two weeks ago when the area was suddenly affected by cable theft.

Ward councillor Mendi Wetsetse said she supported the residents’ call for the scrapyard to close.

She confirmed the business was not operating legally, saying the application for a trading permit had never reached her office.

Wetsetse said they had agreed with the owner that the business would stop operating but would be given 20 days to clear out.

A man who was pointed out as being the owner did not give his name and declined to comment.

BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said the city was checking the legitimacy of the business licence.

Residents allege the spike in incidents happened after a new scrapyard opened in the area