Bruma North Residents Association has had enough of the lack of service delivery in the area.
According to Valda Gossmann, a member of the association, they have been sending performance reports to the City of Joburg to help them rate themselves on service delivery in the Bruma area, but according to the reports, there have been no improvements.
“Performance rating for September is negative 15.5 per cent and that is bad. We have seven new problems this month and others still outstanding. We have not received any report from the urban inspectorate. Extra resources are needed in Joburg Water and Pikitup,” said Gossmann.
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The top five challenges in the area include the sand dump next to Bruma Oriental Centre, trading at intersections at Bruma, advertising on the wall of the grey flats’ exterior wall, the illegal taxi rank opposite Protea Hotel and Bruma River Park. These problems have been ongoing and residents want the City of Joburg to find solutions on how to handle them and enforce bylaws.
The association has asked Ward 118 councillor Neuren Pietersen, to intervene and improve service delivery in the area. Pietersen said the issue of the sand dump is not the city’s responsibility, but is that of the property owner of Oriental Plaza, Jonathan Qin.
The trading and dancing at intersections should be escalated to Metro police to increase patrols and bylaw enforcement.
On the issue of signage, the City’s outdoor advertising department said they have not given any permission for signage to be up on the exterior wall. Pietersen said he has requested an inspector to issue an instruction to have the wall painted.
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The illegal taxi rank is said to be discussed during a walkabout that would be conducted in the area soon. The issue of the closure of Bruma River Park would also be discussed on the walkabout.
According to the association, millions have been spent on the rehabilitation of Bruma Lake. And they strongly suggest that the park is enclosed and secured. At this point, the park is becoming an upmarket slum area, according to the association.
The association has in the past highlighted the drug issue which they said needed to be addressed because it is attracting the wrong crowd.
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