WATCH | In Mayfair residents complain about decay in area

As the of  City of Joburg has embarked on a massive clean-up project around the Ellis Park Stadium precinct ahead of the Boks vs All Blacks clash, some residents say they wish all that work could reach them too.

In contrast to the newly fitted streetlights, pristine streets, smooth roads and filled-in potholes in the Ellis Park precinct, these residents – staying a few kilometres away – said their situation was akin to squalor because of the decay in the part of the city, Mayfair, they are living.

"The streetlights are not working and it’s always dark and dirty here. In both Albertina Sisulu and Railway streets, robberies are the order of the day and nyaope boys get an opportunity to mug us in the evening.

"Even though [waste management service provider] Pikitup comes and collects the rubbish and sometimes clean, people always come and do illegal dumping," said Mayfair resident Gomory Jacobs, 42.

In Mayfair, roads are riddled with potholes, has litter on the sidewalks and dirty water runs on the streets.

Another Mayfair resident, Rudolf Mngoma, 38, said non-functioning street lights were contributing to a high crime rate, especially in the early hours of the morning and in the evening.

He said the only streetlights working were the ones where a bank is located – on Central Road.

"Crime is too high here, and people are complaining. Pikitup does come and collect garbage bags on the sidewalks, but we also have people who have cleaning tenders cleaning our area, but they are not consistent."

Just less then 5km away on Smith, Kerk, Troye and President streets in the Joburg CBD, open garbage bags overflowing with rubbish lay uncollected while people walk by, some  throwing garbage on the ground.

Smelly water runs down the streets. . 

"The last time we saw cleaners at Smith Street was before [municipal] workers went on strike on Thursday last week. It's a week now and the place remains filthy," said Cordy Moyo, who stays in Braamfontein.

On Anderson street in Fordsburg, a man who said he has  been collecting bottles and papers for recycling in the area for the past eight years, said it was only at the beginning of the year that the streets were being cleaned regularly. 

"I've been in the recycling business for too long, and i can assure you that cleaners were only consistent at the beginning of the year, now they come sporadically,"  said the man called MaFashion.

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