No help for Greenspark’s problems

Residents of Greenspark complain that the municipality has turned a blind eye to its problems.

People living on Patrys Street struggle to get to and from their yards whenever it rains because the stormwater drains have been blocked for years, and water cannot flow into them. The tops of these drains have also collapsed.

Even though it did not rain much on Thursday, 21 March, the little rain that fell was enough to flood the street again.

According to residents like Ms Brenda Fourie, some have had to build little walls on their driveways so the water does not flow into their yards and houses. They also struggle to keep their children out of the water as there is no other entertainment or playground. The water also erodes the street and is ideal for breeding mosquitoes.

“Cars cannot drive here when the road is flooded. It has been like this for the past 27 years I have lived here. We tried to get help from the municipality and our ward councillor, but no one has fixed the problem,” laments Fourie.

Meanwhile, in nearby Duif Street, a huge rubbish dump has accumulated in the open yard next to the Old Apostolic Church.

“People throw their dead pets on this heap. Sometimes, the stench is so bad that you cannot concentrate in the church,” says Ms Saartjie Freeman.
She noted that the rubbish is as much of a health and safety risk for the toddlers attending the Reënboog Nursery School across the street as it is for the churchgoers.

According to Freeman, a municipal employee used to arrange for its cleaning. Since he passed away four or five years ago, no one cleans it anymore.

The Herald took the issues to the municipality, and they said it would be attended to soon.