Ward 56 residents cut their own grass as City fails them again

I recently released a media statement where I highlighted the plight of grass cutting in Ward 56, due to the ongoing squabbles between the Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JPCZ) and the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) as to whose mandate it is to cut the grass.

I have received more information on the issue but it has not translated into any service delivery on the ground.

The MMC for Transport councillor Nonhlanhla Helen Makhuba contacted me telephonically on February 28, and informed me that it is JPCZ’s mandate to cut the grass on the sidewalks, as per a Mayoral Committee resolution in 2017.

In addition, she said that further funds had been allocated in the recently passed adjustment budget.

In addition to this, the executive mayor councillor Geoffrey Makhubo stated at a press conference on the February 20 that he has instructed JCPZ to, “immediately act in cutting grass and maintaining spaces across the City”.

Eventually, after I applied a lot of pressure on this issue, the MMC for Community Development councillor Margaret Arnolds sent me a WhatsApp message on March 4, stating, “The Ward 56 sidewalks will be cut from this weekend. “We have already given the contractor a purchase order”.

I was delighted to have received this message and sent councillor Arnolds the list of streets in Ward 56 that require the grass to be cut and copied the JPCZ regional manager.

The JPCZ regional manager, Ipeleng Dube, contacted me telephonically and said that they can’t cut all the streets but will cut certain streets in Rosettenville and Oakdene, and that the list will be sent to me.

Much to my disappointment the weekend has come and gone, and I still do not have that list. The local residents association and the Oakdene Neighbourhood Watch (ONW) mobilised the residents to have a clean-up in their suburb for the residents’ safety.

They managed to cut grass and vegetation down in Soutpansberg Drive, Waterberg Drive and Swartberg Drive in Oakdene.

The area now looks a lot cleaner and safer and I would like to thank the ONW, and in particular their chairperson, Tony Rodrigues, for their efforts.

I would also like to acknowledge the JRA for assisting with this clean-up by removing five tons of rocks in the neighbourhood.

JPCZ now needs to assist by removing the cut grass and vegetation from the suburb, and I have sent their regional manager both a WhatsApp message and an email requesting for this to happen. I will be monitoring this closely.

I will not stop putting pressure on the City of Johannesburg to cut and skoffel various overgrown streets in the ward, and will continue to do my best to get services rendered to the residents.

Ward 56 councillor Michael Crichton – 083 383 6366