That restaurants are relocating, or looking at relocating, from what was once a thriving, bustling hub popular with students, visitors to the city and residents, is a sad indictment of the level of crime in Richmond Hill.
Though crime affects every corner of Nelson Mandela Bay, this little area was once a beacon of light in a city beset by a multitude of problems.
Yes, as some restaurants pull out of the area, others are moving in.
But will they have the fortitude to stay when customer numbers dwindle due to the escalating crime?
Residents, policing forums and ward councillor Terri Stander blame “problem buildings” as a contributory factor, saying they have become a haven for criminals.
They point specifically to the ANC’s regional headquarters — Florence Matomela House — in Govan Mbeki Avenue as one of them.
It was there that physiotherapist Marolien Schmidt’s alleged killer was arrested recently.
Students are robbed, copper pipes and letterboxes are stolen, water meters are dug up, and restaurant staff and diners are mugged or their cars are broken into daily in the area.
“What they haven’t stolen yet, they’re busy stealing,” Stander told the Weekend Post
Some of the restaurant owners who have waved goodbye to the area say people were cancelling bookings because they deemed the area to be unsafe.
Vovo Telo was one of the first to make the move out of Richmond Hill, followed by Muse.
Mamacita’s, which said in a recent Facebook post that several of its staff members had been mugged and hurt when the restaurant was based in Richmond Hill, ditched Gqeberha altogether for Cape Town.
Richmond Hill Community Policing Forum chair Kevin Slattery says there are five or six problem buildings in the area.
Though Special Rates Area chair Ed Richardson has tried to put a positive spin on the exodus of eateries, saying as they move out others are moving in, the reality is that unless something is done to tackle the crime, these businesses might not be there for too long.
A good place to start would be with the problem buildings and putting up more cameras.
Tackling the issue requires a united effort by the police, metro and residents.
Why is the problem bylaw not being enforced stringently?
We have the tools, let’s use them and make sure the owners of these derelict and abandoned buildings are held to account.
HeraldLIVE
Concerted effort needed to save Richmond Hill from criminals
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Image: WERNER HILLS
That restaurants are relocating, or looking at relocating, from what was once a thriving, bustling hub popular with students, visitors to the city and residents, is a sad indictment of the level of crime in Richmond Hill.
Though crime affects every corner of Nelson Mandela Bay, this little area was once a beacon of light in a city beset by a multitude of problems.
Yes, as some restaurants pull out of the area, others are moving in.
But will they have the fortitude to stay when customer numbers dwindle due to the escalating crime?
Residents, policing forums and ward councillor Terri Stander blame “problem buildings” as a contributory factor, saying they have become a haven for criminals.
They point specifically to the ANC’s regional headquarters — Florence Matomela House — in Govan Mbeki Avenue as one of them.
It was there that physiotherapist Marolien Schmidt’s alleged killer was arrested recently.
Students are robbed, copper pipes and letterboxes are stolen, water meters are dug up, and restaurant staff and diners are mugged or their cars are broken into daily in the area.
“What they haven’t stolen yet, they’re busy stealing,” Stander told the Weekend Post
Some of the restaurant owners who have waved goodbye to the area say people were cancelling bookings because they deemed the area to be unsafe.
Vovo Telo was one of the first to make the move out of Richmond Hill, followed by Muse.
Mamacita’s, which said in a recent Facebook post that several of its staff members had been mugged and hurt when the restaurant was based in Richmond Hill, ditched Gqeberha altogether for Cape Town.
Richmond Hill Community Policing Forum chair Kevin Slattery says there are five or six problem buildings in the area.
Though Special Rates Area chair Ed Richardson has tried to put a positive spin on the exodus of eateries, saying as they move out others are moving in, the reality is that unless something is done to tackle the crime, these businesses might not be there for too long.
A good place to start would be with the problem buildings and putting up more cameras.
Tackling the issue requires a united effort by the police, metro and residents.
Why is the problem bylaw not being enforced stringently?
We have the tools, let’s use them and make sure the owners of these derelict and abandoned buildings are held to account.
HeraldLIVE
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