As a new resident of Boksburg, I have quickly realised that many of my fellow residents feel somewhat threatened and unsafe in our little slice of paradise.
I have discovered that due to the current financial and economic climate of the area, people feel somewhat threatened by the large population of the neighbouring squatter camps, which have been growing steadily over the last few years and seemingly have brought all sorts of ‘colourful’ events.
Urban development is portrayed as a positive thing and to a very large extent it is a positive thing. However, taking into consideration the removal of people or the ignoring of their needs to portray an image of a utopian urban development scheme also has its cost.
Therefore, the question is not how will Boksburg rid itself of these people who have entered the territorial lines of our utopia, but rather how Boksburg can become an example of a solution-driven community.
How do we solve the problems of gradual degression that Boksburg is currently faced with? It is no secret that the City of Ekurhuleni is seemingly unable to tackle these problems on its own.
With elections around the corner, we still have streets with no lines, not to mention having to avoid the craters when driving, streetlights with no light bulbs, overgrown sidewalks and fields, and political parties all fighting to change things while nothing really meaningful is happening, while the town continues to degrade.
So what, then, will be our solution? Perhaps it is in the hands of us ourselves as the citizens of Boksburg to begin solving the issues ourselves. Perhaps, the power is in our hands and has been all along.
Imagine we can all come together with common goals and agree on the roads that will realise those goals? What if we paint our own roads, cover up our own potholes and ensure our streetlights work?
It is quite possible for us to take it a step further and bring our new neighbours from the squatter camps into such a programme, teaching them skills development and how to turn those skills into businesses and begin circulating more formal economies in those squatter camps like turning them into something more formal perhaps even into suburbs.
There are those whose first response is that the economic growth of these camps will attract more people to move into these areas, but remember, space will always run out and thus the growth of these areas will eventually stop.
This gives us a unique opportunity to bring resources together and influence the direction of these areas in Boksburg.
However, we must remember before we embark on such a journey that we need to start in the old formal streets of Boksburg herself and retake ownership of our town. Let us shine as though we are a rising sun of progress and possibilities chasing away the blackness of the night which is a result of the failures of politicians and management of the municipality.
Think about it.
Also Read: LETTER: We take no bull when it comes to our beautiful vlei
