JEDDAH: There are many wonders in Al-Sabeel neighborhood in southern Jeddah, with traditional homes on the verge of collapse, and workers selling and buying away from the watchful eye of the law.

Rubbish fills alleyways as garbage collectors carry their children on their backs. Countless violations are being spoken of and hopes of relevant authorities correcting faults are awaited. Buildings are on the verge of collapse, and unlicensed stores, and overcrowded streets and narrow alleys stand in the way of civil defense in case of emergencies.

Local media visited the neighborhood and listened to old residents of the area who remained while many others chose to leave for more up-market areas in northern Jeddah. However the neighborhood clings to its originality and old traditions, where inhabitants meet to solve problems of the neighborhood and discuss their hopes for modernization and development.

Mohammad Ishaq, a specialist in fixing home air conditioning units, was busy carrying and hiding used units in a torn-down traditional three-storied house. He denied that he used the house to store electric devices, but he did admit that these devices need to be fixed and hides them their to avoid accountability by “the system” saying he doesn’t have a place to practice his trade so he chose this secret hiding place.

Ali Saeed Qasim says Al-Salbeel has hundreds of expatriates, the majority of whom are of African and Yemeni nationalities. He said some houses date back several centuries with wooden roofs which pose a threat to inhabitants and neighbors. He called on owners to repair those houses or deliver them to relevant authorities to carry out the necessary maintenance, which was the case in the historical area.

Husam Attar talked about violations that take place in Al-Sabeel neighborhood, saying this area is an original part of the town, but most people are afraid to enter it after sundown because of violators to the residency and labor laws, as well as vendors who exploit the absence of relevant authorities to promote their prohibited products. Security campaigns were recently active which brought some reassurance to inhabitants of the area.