GEORGE NEWS - The increasing number of unemployed men hanging around in First and Second Avenue in George East in the hope of landing a manual labour 'piece' job, are seen as a security threat by residents and businesses in the area.

Despite various steps taken by the George Municipality to discourage the practice of picking up casual labourers here, it has continued for years. The red lines in the streets and 'no-stop' signs that the municipality has put up, are flatly ignored.

The parking area where Builders' Warehouse traded until recently, is also a popular collection point. Once the morning rush of motorists coming to collect them is over, and as the day progresses, the would-be workers spread out and move into the suburb.

The issue came to the fore again when two municipal law enforcement officers were recently assaulted by some of these work seekers when they were trying to convince them to leave.

Hennie Barnard, whose elderly mother lives in the area, is concerned that the situation indeed provides a golden opportunity to criminal elements. "Strangers hanging around on the neighbourhood pavements and street corners all day mean that criminals can now also hold a stake out under the guise of seeking work," he says.

He became all the more worried when someone recently tried to gain access to his elderly mother's house late at night - through the roof. Fortunately her granddaughter was there who heard the noise and could raise the alarm in time.

Digipress, whose premises are in Second Avenue, are up in arms for having become part of George's crime statistics for the second time in less than a year when their water meter was recently stolen during the night. This follows a burglary at the end of last year during which the thieves removed the burglar bars and broke a security gate. Security was upped, but this did not prevent the theft of the water meter.

"We are a number of businesses in Second Street who feel that we are being watched all day by these men who have nothing else to do," says Linda Setzer, office administrator at Digipress.

Barnard suggests that the municipality holds daily road blocks in the affected streets. "It will discourage those people who are illegally ignoring the no-stopping signs. The residents of this suburb are paying rates and taxes and need the municipality to do something that effectively addresses this problem."

Debra Sauer, municipal communications officer, points out that the work seekers cannot be simply arrested or removed and this hampers law enforcement. "There is a proper facility in Industrial Road where work seekers can wait, but they are encouraged to hang around in the streets, because the public choose not to obey the rules."

Barnard comments that this is all the more reason for the municipality to erect road blocks. "The motorists who pick up people here illegally are the cause of the problem and it is they who must be stopped."


The woman takes off with one worker in her car in First Avenue in George East.

ARTICLE AND PHOTOS: ALIDA DE BEER, GEORGE HERALD JOURNALIST