Grass cutting delays upset estate residents
Grass cutting will start at Kenneth Gardens following months of no maintenance at the housing estate.
A jungle of overgrown grass and gardens has sparked an outcry from residents of Kenneth Gardens in Umbilo who are frustrated over the lack of maintenance from the city at the municipal housing estate.
Berea Mail spoke to residents in December after they appealed to the Parks Department to urgently cut the grass.
At the time, resident Keith William, said the grass hadn’t been cut since around July and he expressed his concerns for the safety of children playing on the grounds. At the time, he said the heat and water restrictions together with the long grass would encourage snakes.
Resident, Juanita Davis, said since December resident have indeed discovered snakes in the grounds.
I am sure it won’t be long before the toddlers, who you can’t even see because the grass is so long, will find a snake while they play outside and could be bitten. I will blame the Housing Department for the lack of maintaining the common property, – she said.
Davis said when she moved into her flat, she was told when she signed the lease that she was paying a levy included in the rent for maintenance of the common property, to remove the rubbish from her back door to the dumpster and to keep the stairs clean.
“None of this is taking place any longer. Some of the blocks are paying private contractors to cut the grass around their blocks. What about those blocks where the residents have barely enough money to pay for rent and lights, not to mention food. This problem needs to be sorted out as soon as possible. We are always told to be proud of our city, but how can we be if the municipality can’t even sort out the residence they offer to the poorest of the poor?” she said.
Ward councillor Nicole Graham said she been communicating with Parks and Housing regarding the situation at Kenneth Gardens and had feedback that grass cutting will begin on 28 January.
“I find this very disappointing as this issue has been building for some time and it could have been resolved far sooner. It is completely unacceptable that the place is in such a state. Housing initially referred me to Parks, who said they are waiting on contractors and that Housing should put in place a short-term contract to cut the grass. I urged them to do this as soon as possible. I visited Kenneth Gardens last week and have had a number of complaints from residents,” she said.
