Great Progress

Thanks to the magnificent effort by Graeme Watson of Supergroup, there has been an intense clean up of this site.  Rats are still a huge issue due to missing drain covers - some pest control please.

The gardens adjacent to the pavement need a deep cleansing as well please.

Geronimo! A Reply from Toyota! Albeit not a great one - BUT VERY IMPORTANT, THE REPLY IS WITHOUT PREJUDICE

 -After Writing to Toyota on Numerous occasions, I received this response yesterday:

Dear Sir Without Prejudice


Please excuse the delay we had network cable problems in this area of Sandton and our e-mail got delayed. Yesterday morning our Customer Contact Centre brought to my department's attention your e-mail and your frustration.

My department is responsible for the environmental performance of dealers that are authorised by Toyota SA Motors to trade in Toyota vehicles and services. We do not own any dealerships. We have contractual agreements in place with all Authorised Toyota Dealers as far as the environmental compliance of the dealer is concerned at the premises of the dealership. Our authority is basically limited to the Toyota or Automark dealership operation. Should they operate a filling station or fast food outlet on the premises we have very little authority over such outlet.

Your mail to us is a little confusing because you refer to "Rand Stadium Toyota" and you give the address as the corner of Johannesburg Road and Drome Road. I assume that you refer to the Toyota dealership at 69 Johannesburg Road. There is no Toyota dealership at the corner of Johannesburg and Drome. According to my records there has never been a Toyota dealership at this address and Toyota has not agreed to moving any dealership to this address.

Directly after receiving your mail I drove to 69 Johannesburg Road and inspected their premises - without prior notice to their staff. Everything at the premises seemed to be in order. I noted some building activity at the Engen filling station in front of the dealership but everything seemed to be in order. The dealership plans to expand and upgrade their premises away from Johannesburg Road onto the premises next door. This site seems to be in good condition as well. Apart from improvements to the filling station forecourt, the building process has not started yet. I did not see any rubble, building material or waste types that could contribute to rodent or mosquito infestation.

I noted that various other sites in the area contain rubble, waste,tyres, building material, ponds and informal businesses that most certainly contribute towards rodent and mosquito infestation. I noted several rats. It is rather risky to publically accuse the Toyota dealer of causing or contributing to the problem. Your blogspot may negatively impact the rights of the Toyota dealer or Toyota SA Motors. I would prefer if you could make corrections or close the blogspot completely.

Yours sincerely


Charles Classen
Senior Manager New Service Projects
(Dealer Environmental Risk Audit Program)
Toyota SA Motors
+27 (0) 11 809 2767 (t)
+27 (0) 11 809 2944 (f)
cclassen@tsb.toyota.co.za 


My Reply:


Dear Mr Classen, John Robbie, Amanda Watson (Eastern Tribune), Willow View Residents and Tibidabo Residents and Councillor Wolder

If you study all of the material on the blog - http://randstadiumtoyota.blogspot.com and I suggest that you spend some time on it, you will clearly understand that I have my facts correct.

The dealership up the road is (via Supergroup) the owner of the site in question.  Up until last month there was a sign (clearly shown on the blog) advertising that this site is going to be the new home for Rand Stadium Toyota.

It seems as if you were inside the site to inspect it.

What you did not notice is the Toyota Stock sitting on the warehouse.

I will post your mail on my next blog entry.

I have mailed Toyota Head-office on numerous occassions since around 2007 to present and you happen to be the first to have the decency to respond, so I beg you not to blame the lack of reply on cable theft or communication issues, The responsibleToyota  employees have simply chosen to ignore the mail.

I will NOT remove this blog until such time as the issues are resolved by Toyota.

Some Progress at last

After updating this blog on 1 April, I forwarded links to Neil Hermann at Lyndhurst Toyota, Toyota South Africa Headoffice plus an address at Supergroup - the holding company.

Mr Hermann chose to ignore - and this is why I continue to boycott Lyndhurst Toyota - for vehicles and Petrol.

Toyota South Africa ignored this - They obviously do not give a damn about their image.


I was very impressed by as phone call from Graham Watson of Supergroup who has explained the situation and promised action.

 Last week there was some intense cleaning of the old neglected forecourt.  I am looking forward to the yard area being cleaned up to a similar standard.

There is a huge problem with rats - all neighboring complexes are affected - I have asked Graham to attend to this issue and to close up all drains (mostly sewers)  that are currently open.

Let us see what happens.

THE FAILED AUCTION AND POSSIBLE CLOSURE OF LYNDHURST TOYOTA

In December the site concerned was advertised to be auctioned which was very good news for the local residents, however there were not many bidders and the reserve was not reached, so our problem persists.

The problem?

We live next to a property that is owned by Lyndhurst Toyota / Rand Stadium Toyota.
The owners refuse to maintain the property.
The owners store their stock of vehicles on the site - they can afford a day time security guard but nothing at night.
They allow people to squat on the site.

The good news?

I have it on good authority that Lyndhurst Toyota are going to lose their franchise, however I do not know where this leaves us - probably with two neglected properties on Johannesburg road / Pretoria road.

Rand Stadium Toyota still full of it

In June 2010, our residential complex experienced a breach of security.

This happened when two thugs entered the complex and broke into one of our units at around 02:00AM.

The owner involved was attacked however he is fought the attackers off and they escaped.

Fortunately besides some minor suturing in three places, he "only" had to deal with some discomfort while his family had to deal with the trauma.

Via the grape vine, we learned that Rand Stadium Toyota had been paying a neighbouring residential complex for electricity to run some passive infrared security sensors (movement detectors), however they had defaulted on their payments and the complex had switched them off.  This had resulted in a crime spike in the area, and our complex had now become a victim.

At that stage the neglected property was in a shocking state.

Below is a collection of photographs showing the condition of the property concerned.

Mr Neil Hermann of Lyndhurst Toyota threatened me with arrest for trespassing if I visit the property again.

After much communication between ourselves and Lynhurst Toyota, there was a half hearted clean up of the site, however they neglected to spray for weeds and the problem is now worse than before.

SECURITY AT YOUR VEHICLE STORAGE SLUM ON JOHANNESBURG / PRETORIA ROAD IN LYNDHURST

Dear Mr Hermann

At 02:00 this morning our complex had a breach of security via your vehicle storage squatter camp in Lyndhurst - previously the home of Lyndhurst BMW, and now the future proud site of Rand Stadium Toyota.

One of our residents was severely beaten, and his immediate family plus other residents in our complex are severely traumatised.

We have a long history of disagreement surrounding this site that is negatively effecting the value of our investments (homes).

We still encourage residents in our neighborhood to BOYCOTT Lyndhurst Toyota

Two months ago we became very excited thinking that the end of this mess was near when the Fuel pumps and the subterranean fule storage tanks were ripped out.

Unfortunately for us, that is all that has happened and there is now a huge crater on what used to be the fore court of this once excellent petrol station.

Last night we had a community meeting at Lyndhurst Primary School (regarding the relocation of Xenophobia "refugees" to our neighbourhood) where a manager from Lyndhurst Toyota announced his business OWNS this site.

I thin that I can say "I REST MY CASE!"

This is amazing since they have been denying ownership and claiming that a legal dispute has prevented them from maintaining this site.

At least my actions have resulted in these non owners finally being motivated to clean up this site.

Courtesy of Amanda Watson, the following article appeared in our "knock & drop" the Northern Tribune on Tuesday.

"Sites for Sore Eyes

Lyndhurst: With development poised to explode along Johannesburg Road, things are about to get a lot messier before they get better.

Residents have been complaining for a while about problems, which always appeared to fall on deaf ears.

"Mosquitoes and rats are making our lives hell here. There are three, larvae infested, stagnant water features and it seems as if the owners of the property do not care about their responsibilities to the community," said David Kahn.

He lives next to the vacant BP station on Johannesburg Road, and feels the current owners are dragging their feet over the property.

Robbie Matticks, Operations Executive for Super Group Dealerships (SGD), explained there were a number of issues that had to be overcome before they could build.

"The property belongs to Lyndhurst Toyota. We've been there. There are no rats, nothing that's breeding rats or mosquitoes. We've had an insecticide company go through there twice already," said Matticks.

A legal merry‑go‑round between the previous owners and SGD, the BP shop owner and SGD, and BP Petrol and the previous owner has prevented their R40‑million development for a long time. The project involves the building of a car dealership which will be the new home of Lyndhurst Toyota.

"These have now all been resolved.

Before we start building, the fuel tanks still have to be removed by BP and a health certificate issued to the effect that the ground is clear of contaminants."

A complicated process still lies ahead before any sod turning is done.

"Corporate governance does slow things down, if it were up to us we would go ahead. We're hoping to start construction before the end of the year." Matticks is sending in a garden service to clean up the property in the meantime. The property where mechanics are currently housing themselves behind the garage, belongs to the City and Matticks is hoping to lease the land in the near future.

'It's not our intention to aggravate neighbours, but when construction does start, there's going to be a fair amount of dust."

It seems as if we are dealing with politicians here and not corporates. I visited this site this morning and in less than three minutes counted no less than eight huge rats.

The main reason for my visit was to investigate the pungent smell of burning plastic - VERY HEALTHY STUFF I might add.

The source of the smell was a fire lit by a female living in a zozo hut on the site - she was burnign some rubbish. I insisted that the security guard must extinguish the poison which he did.

Mr Matticks if you cannot find the rats give me a call and I will show them to you. My time was very limited this morning so I could not check on the mosquitoes I will report on this part of the issues in my next post

Support us in boycotting Lyndhurst Toyota

Approximately 3 years ago, a petrol station and convenience centre next door to our complex closed down.

After a few months signs pictured to the right were erected on the building.

Since that time, absolutely nothing has been done at the site and it is now starting to look totally neglected.

I have contacted management at Lyndhurst Toyota 1.5km up the road - opposite Eden College on Johannesburg road (Neil Hermann tel: 0118804455) and at Rand Stadium Toyota.

I have spoken to management at the JSE listed company Supergroup (Robbie Matticks robbie.matticks@supergrp.com Tel: 0114351270, Cell: 0834097478 about the problems that we are experiencing, however we are constantly ignored. These peoples attitude is devaluing our properties.

What are these problems you may ask? Stop whinging about your neighborhood you might state! Stop behaving like an old aged pensioner!



To begin with, this is the state of the forecourt pictured above.

The surrounding gardens are neglected, the site is progressively being stripped of recyclable materials at the expense of the owners, vagrants have made fires at various locations on the site and have even burned the building in places.


As we move into the site we find a stagnant neglected water feature that has been the cause of our constant plague of mosquitoes in the area for the past 3 years.





The vagrants living on the site are using a shipping container to store their rubbish. It stinks and is rat infested as is the rest of the site.

The rats are a bit camera shy but I managed to catch one as it scurried under the container.

There were at least 12 running around before I pointed my camera.

When I opened the container pictured below a few ran out as well.

Management argue that they cannot attend to the site since they are embroiled in a legal dispute.


What constantly puzzles and irritates us is that Lyndhurst Toyota are storing their excess stock of vehicles on the site. What puzzles us even more is that as soon as a summer hail storm smashed some of the windows of this warehouse, somebody involved in a legal battle managed to repair them.

Why can Lyndhurst Toyota / Rand Stadium Toyota / Supergroup not look after this propety, it is depreciating the value of our homes.













Please excuse the poor quality due to the reflection, but you can clearly see that there is a lot of stock in this warehouse.












The far right windows were closed with steel sheeting after the storm.









Between our Townhouse Complex and this site, their gardens are totally neglected, fowled up with litter and infested with rats.



For the past 3 years I have not supported Lyndhurst Toyota for fuel, I have encouraged the 30 residents in our complex to follow my example, I have e-mailed, complained on www.hellopeter.com to no avail.

Hopefully this blog will achieve something positive.

All that we want is a well maintained site and to have a good relationship. The problem is that only one of us wishes to Tango!

Come Super Group, Rand Stadium, Lyndhurst Toyota.