A RESIDENT living in The Bay, a complex adjacent to Carrington Primary School in Stellawood Road, has drawn attention to the general overgrown state of the school grounds and requested something be done to clear them.
According to the woman, who asked not to be named, the grounds are overgrown with weeds and bush.
“I have found two snakes in my property. The grounds are so overgrown that even my cats won’t go in the bush, that says it all!
“On top of this, an old tree in the grounds broke off and fell through my roof and ceiling, causing damage, and more recently another part of the same tree broke off and fell, not only taking out my fence and electric wiring but also that of my next door neighbour.
“This tree is very old and falling apart. Maybe the next part which breaks off will cause harm to a person,” she said.
She said she was also concerned for the safety of the children at the school who constantly climb over the fence into the overgrown area.
“Who will explain to the parents of these children how their child was bitten by a snake? Their safety is the school’s responsibility. Despite letters from the administrator of The Bay, no action has been taken by the school. What else can one do?” she said.
The woman said she tried to contact the principal or school secretary without success.
“The City Health department told me that, as it is a school, this is government land and therefore the government health department should be informed to clean up the area. This I duly did only to be told that they were having a workshop about this issue. This was at least ten years ago,” she said.
eThekwini Head of Communications, Tozi Mthethwa said: “The grounds in question are on private land. Therefore, the complainant will need to raise all their concerns with the school to resolve the issue as the municipality cannot intercede until permission is
obtained from the school to clear and cut down the trees and charge the school for the service. At this stage we have received no such request from the school and therefore cannot intervene.”
The Department of Education responded to enquiries from Berea Mail and said the issue was being addressed.
