Despite the ongoing hyacinth infestation at the Brakpan Dam, there is hope in the scenario – the City of Ekurhuleni has committed to developing Jan Smuts Park.
According to DA ward councillor for the area Brandon Pretorius, a company called Information Decision Systems is managing the process of obtaining environmental authorisation on behalf of the municipality, as per the following:
• Parking: 7 834.7 m2
• Caretaker’s house: 91.25 m2
• Ablution: 225 m2
• Sporting fields: 1593.7 m2
• Amphitheatre: 1641.62 m2
• Outdoor gym area: 880 m2
• Play area: 830 m2
• Skatepark: 579.52 m2
• Braai area: 1687 m2
• Viewing platform
• Footpaths.
Also read: Hyacinth problem devours R1-m
“The Democratic Alliance in Ekurhuleni has been concerned about the state of the Brakpan Dam for a while now, as there has been very little to no progress shown in combatting the dam’s hyacinth problem,” said Pretorius.
“The dam is still covered in hyacinth and the City of Ekurhuleni is still insisting on the use of the Watermaster machine to remove the invasive plant from the water body, despite the constant breakdowns, repairs and costly running costs.
“In February, I, together with Clr Tiziana Plaskitt and Clr Jill Humphreys, who are both members of the Environmental Oversight Committee in Ekurhuleni, visited the dam to inspect the state of the water body.
“Mayor Mzwandile Masina and the MMC of Environment and Waste Management Services, Clr Ndosi Shongwe, visited the dam during a Siyaqhuba Campaign event held in Brakpan earlier this year.
“The executive mayor instructed the MMC to look at alternative ways to clear the dam, but to date, nothing has been done.
“It seems that the water body will stay covered if the status quo remains.”
Pretorius told the Herald that despite the ongoing infestation, the DA welcomed the development.
“We, however, have a concern that the water body has been inoperative for almost two years now and it appears that the city is overlooking the problem issue, which is the hyacinth infestation,” he said.
“We hope the city is not using the development of the park as a diversion.
“The park will not be of much use if the dam is not clean and safe to use.”
He added that the DA will continue to apply pressure on the authorities to ensure the Brakpan Dam is returned to its former state and opened to the Brakpan community.
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