Pollution in Protea Park a concern
“When pollutants come down the river we know about it immediately, we find the bodies of dead black and yellow bill ducks as well as moorhens,”
The effect of frequent pollution in the waterway passing through Protea Park has left two Marais Steyn Park residents concerned for the future of the park and the environment.
Once a picturesque community park with a large water space, the park has deteriorated over the past 25 years.
It has become overgrown along the river banks, pollutants spill into the waterways almost daily and residents have taken it upon themselves to maintain the municipal park.
Anke Groshe, who has lived on Bushwillow Drive since 1988 with her husband Mike, said over the years they have tried to get the problem attended to but with no success.
Anke said she only recently got hold of Ward 19 Clr Bill Rundle who informed her that he and the chief engineer at Edenvale water department are aware of the matter.
He said another resident in the area also reported the matter and had done so for the past two years. In the email correspondence between Rundle and Anke, shared with the NEWS, Rundle said the pollutants were traced back to a company in the Spartan/Isando area.
ALSO READ: The BCPF and its role
“The metro undertook to deal with it and it has been quiet for a while,” further read the email.
Rundle further explained to Anke that the inspectorate environmental affairs more commonly known as the Green Scorpions in CoE had almost ceased to exist.
Although Grosche was thankful for some feedback she couldn’t understand why the problem was being allowed to exist. Anke explained to the NEWS when she used the My CoE App over the weekend of February 20 and 21, she placed two complaints through the service delivery reporting channel.
“With one complaint I attached an image of the discoloured river and within a short time a team from the sewage department had arrived,” said Anke. “We asked who sent them out and they said the call centre so we explained the situation to them and unfortunately they couldn’t help us.”
On the morning of February 23, Anke’s second complaint was yet to be tended to. Mike, who recently retired and enjoys working on the Marais Steyn Park side of the park near his home, said one of the reasons the couple decided to purchase the property was because of the park.
The couple was one of the first to have their property built in the area, construction started in 1986. “I can cope with the park not being maintained that often but what I can’t live with is knowing the pollution is either causing birds to relocate or killing the aquatic birdlife.”
Although the water was clear on the morning of February 23, Anke assured the NEWS it would be polluted again on February 24 at the latest.
“When pollutants come down the river we know about it immediately. We find the bodies of dead black and yellow bill ducks as well as moorhens,” said Anke.
“The frog population is also affected and takes time to recover,” said Mike.
A request for comment was sent to the City of Ekurhuleni on February 23 requesting comment by February 26 at 10am.
This is a developing story and comment from the City of Ekurhuleni will be added once received.
Also follow us on:
