JOHANNESBURG SOUTH – The school, which the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) claims to be the school placement solution to learners in Mondeor, Ormonde and Evans Park among other areas, is still surrounded by overgrown grass and weeds.
A clean up initiative by Ward 54 Clr Sergio Dos Santos and residents from Winchester Hills, Ridgeway and other parts of the south, hit a snag at the new Ormonde Primary School on April 27.
At least seven volunteers, including Clr Dos Santos, showed up to clean up the overgrown grass and weeds on the land belonging to the GDE.
Although the day started out on a high note, after a short while removing the long grass, the group’s weed eater went dead.
“The aim was to clear all the weeds and grass but our weed eater has decided to not work,” said Clr Dos Santos, who was also interacting with residents.
The land is supposed to be maintained by the GDE but it has been left neglected.
“We were unable to finish due to the weed eater not working. I was hoping to go back there last week Friday but I was unable to acquire a working weed eater. I am hoping to go back there and finish the work within the next two weeks,” explained Dos Santos.
A resident of Evans Park said her daughter had written many letters of complaint to the department about the unmaintained space, noting that the long trees offered a hiding place for criminals.
No response came from the department and no action was undertaken by GDE officials.
A piece of land belonging to the education department at the corner of Laubscher Street and Stegman Road in Glenvista is also reportedly neglected and unmaintained.
Some home owners claim that the open space has, over the years, attracted vagrants and burglars.
