Growth of reeds out of control at Atlasville Spruit

Fueled by complaints from residents, the ward councillor for Atlasville is desperately trying to get the proposed maintenance plan for the removal of reeds in the spruit kicked into action.

However, his efforts are falling on deaf ears at council.

The plan was presented to the metro in September, last year.

André du Plessis, councillor for Ward 23 and DA Shadow MMC Environmental Development in Ekurhuleni, said the reeds are escalating out of control and if the situation isn’t curbed soon, they’ll be sitting with a very serious problem.

Ideally, du Plessis explained, the reeds should be removed by hand.

“Therefore, the sooner they start the better. I am concerned, however, that the metro will use mechanical means to remove the reeds, which I am not in favour of and will resist at all costs as this will have a devastating effect on the spruit surroundings.”

The consequences of the reeds not being removed in the designated areas of the spruit, he said, include the clogging of the spruit, which will leave little or no open water for water birds and the free flow of storm water run-off will be severely hampered.

Du Plessis recently approached the Ekurhuleni Parks Department to urgently provide him with feedback about the maintenance plan for Atlasville Spruit.

“I believe a landscape architect company has designed and presented a maintenance plan to the department, for the seasonal and systematic removal of the reeds in the spruit in order to control the serious encroachment of these reeds.

“I have requested the operational plan and timelines for this maintenance as the reeds are a very serious issue,” du Plessis said.

He added that residents’ complaints about the parks department having excavated reeds at the storm water inlet, on the corner of Cockatoo and Star Streets more than six months ago, have also been escalated for feedback.

“I am getting an increasing amount of complaints from the community in this regard and it is my opinion that the parks department is not able to do the required maintenance of the spruit.

“What is of greater concern is that consultants are employed by the metro but their recommendations are not adhered to – and, requests from a councillor are also ignored.” said du Plessis.

“While the reeds are not detrimental to the Atlasville Spruit rejuvenation project overall (in other words, they will not increase the risk of flooding), the reeds have to be removed.”

Du Plessis said the maintenance of the reeds should be an annual and ongoing process.

The only time the reeds have been removed from the spruit, he added, was during the construction phases of the spruit.

The Advertiser has requested comment from the metro.