Ilka to tackle more problems this year

Speaking about the association’s plans, Mrs Lornette Joseph the Ilka chairperson, said Rhodes Park, the open spaces like the Langermann koppies, heritage sites like the Scottish Horse War Memorial and the overall crime and the degradation of the suburb’s main streets are a concern.

“We are planning an awareness campaign to encourage residents to upgrade their own pavements and verges in the suburb. We want to involve school children and young adults more,” she said.

Mrs Joseph added that they want to include more areas in the Kensington Area Project as well.

“We want to bring Kensington residents closer together. There are many things that I would like to do and initiate but this needs involvement from the public. And, of course, it all depends on the annual general meeting. If I am not re-elected, the new chairperson and Ilka executive committee might very well have different thoughts and ideas,” said Mrs Joseph. Ilka is trying to re-launch the membership section to get more people involved. Membership has increased, but Ilka would like to see more people getting involved.

The annual general meeting takes place in March. Mrs Joseph urged residents to become members of Ilka. “Ilka assists residents. We help where people cannot get through to someone, especially council, or if they do not know where to turn. We act as a larger voice. We escalate problems to the relevant city departments. Ilka fights for things and we attend all the relevant meetings willingly. We put Kensington on the map and in the faces of every organisation that needs to take us seriously. Sometimes we get it right, other times not, but we represent with one voice. In the past two years, I have insisted that everyone in Kensington, whether or not they were members of Ilka, get assistance but members receive attention first,” said Mrs Joseph. She added that over the last two years she has worked on having a good relationship with Clr Carlos da Rocha and Clr Alison van der Molen. She believes that these councillors take the concerns of residents and Ilka seriously and have helped them a great deal.

Mrs Joseph added that some of the problems Ilka was asked to help out with included Rhodes Park, security, illegal signage, billing issues and infrastructure concerns like the lights not working and damaged pavements and potholes.

“Basic infrastructure like potholes, broken pavements, verges not being kept up, street lights being on during the day are a problem. There is also a need for more stop streets and pedestrian crossings. The erratic power and water outages that parts of Kensington have had, has also been a problem.

“I would like to see council actually answer their phones and I would like the JMPD to be more visible within Kensington to deal with the vagrants and window washers. We had complaints about vagrants and window washers, which is an on-going problem.

“I would like to build a better relationship with the JMPD and I would like to ensure that Kensington is not overlooked because areas that surround us are worse off and have bigger problems. All areas need to be treated equally,” she said.

Mrs Joseph said that this is an election year and although it should not, it will affect service delivery and residents of every town. “At election time, all parties promise the heaven and the Earth, but we have to realise that every political group is bound by restrictions. A new government might bring in new change, but it will not be an immediate thing, and this needs to be kept in mind,” said Mrs Joseph.

She thanked all residents for their assistance, all Ilka members, and Jeppe and Cleveland SAPS over the past year. She looks forward to continuing the working relationship with everyone in the suburb.