A lot of open spaces end up covered in rubbish, becoming toxic and dangerous to the people who live nearby.
Children are easily drawn to these areas and see them as playgrounds.
This has changed at one former illegal dumping site in Thobejane Street, where the open area has been transformed into a park.
The open space previously gave community members an opportunity to dump their unwanted rubbish.
Residents living opposite the park are pleased because the street now looks neater and cleaner.
“The street use to look untidy before the park was built and now it’s so neat,” says Nthabiseng Diale.
Parents are more at ease when their children are outside playing because there’s no dumping site nearby.
“These parks are erected to prevent people from dumping when they see open spaces” says Isaac Bangilizwe, the Duduza Customer Care Centre manager.
Open spaces are not only dangerous to children but also to adults.
“People use to get mugged a lot when the dumping site was still there, but now that the park is there, people are complaining less about crime,” says resident Njabulo Mthetwa.
“More of these parks should be built in the community for a cleaner and safer environment.”
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