GALLERY: Long grass in Oakdene causes issues for residents

LONG grass, uncontrolled dumping of building rubble, garden rubbish and used cables, as well as badly maintained drainage systems, is a thorn in the sides of Oakdene residents.

Residents also raised concerns over the decreasing property value they are facing due to unattended council services.

Chairperson of Oakdene Neighbourhood Watch Tony Rodrigues said long grass and overgrown bushes were encroaching on the road so much that it is causing a hazard to residents, motorists and pedestrians with potentially catastrophic consequences.

“It is difficult to drive past without encroaching into the oncoming traffic lane because one is trying to avoid the bushes in our roads,” he said.

“One pedestrian has already been knocked down and injured as she had to stand in the middle of the road while waiting for the bus. Bus stops are now a figment of one’s imagination as they simply do not exist,” he added. “Domestic workers are also in danger because criminals hide in the bushes, mug people and then escape easily.”

Residents also fear for their safety while travelling on these roads downtrodden with long grass which will cause a huge catastrophe if the grass catches fire.

“The deplorable state of the neighbourhood has created an environment for illegal dumping. Some people now dump their garbage on the roadside because it doesn’t look like a road but like a dumping site.”

Blocked drains

“We have trees growing in our drainage system and this shows that it’s been a long time since they were maintained. We also have sewage that flows in the Oakdene stream from the main sewerage pipe which is smelly and unsafe for our residents. After spending millions (reportedly R3 400 000) we still have sewer problems, rocks and roots in the stream,” Rodrigues added.

Internet service providers are also a problem.

“We have a company (name withheld) that has been installing Wi-Fi cables around but does not repair our driveways or pavements when it destroys it while working. They have a tendency of dumping their cables and rubble anywhere in the street which is unacceptable,” he said.

“Contractors who work on projects must take responsibility for their rubbish and stop making streets and pavements dumping sites,” he added.

Once beautiful

Members of Oakdene Neighbourhood Watch have adopted the only park in the neighbourhood and started caring for it by clearing it of rocks and weeds.

“Promises from City Parks to provide grass and trees for the park have come to naught so we have no alternative but to use our own funds and resources to make a park for the neighbourhood,” Rodrigues said.

“Despite Chrichton’s best efforts and his regular follow up with the relevant authorities by emails, nothing is being done for our community and it begs the question why?”

Legitimate concerns

“Having grown up in Oakdene, the suburb is naturally close to my heart. It has always been a beautiful suburb that has always kept a natural charm to it with the koppies and nature that surrounds it,” said Ward 56 councillor Michael Chrichton.

“Recently the suburb has been experiencing service delivery challenges such as tall grass that needs to be cut, the roads need to skofolled to get the weeds out, road signs need to be fixed, trees need to be trimmed, stormwater drains need to be unblocked, one stream has sewage that leaks into it – challenges which I have not been blind to,” he said.

“One of the biggest concerns is the long grass. It is a huge safety risk as pedestrians are forced to walk on the road, and criminals also hide themselves and stolen goods in the long grass. Since the beginning of the summer I have had engagements with both City Parks and the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) with regards to having the grass on the sidewalks cut,” he added.

Slow progress

According to Chrichton, City Parks rely on work orders from JRA to cut the grass on the sidewalks.

“I have engaged with JRA but they appear to have budgetary issues. However, after months of requests JRA have now informed me they have some budget for grass cutting and that the streets I’ve requested to be cut are on their list. “To date, they have cut the grass along Open Road and I’m closely monitoring the other streets,” he said.

He also stated JRA’s depot manager informed him they will be skofolling the weeds next to the pavements on June 18 which did not happen.

In recent weeks JRA assisted with fixing potholes, cleaning some stormwater drains, fixing some broken stormwater drains and repainting some road markings.

“The sewage leaking into the stream is a huge concern. I have escalated this issue to Johannesburg Water on a number of occasions and they have managed to fix it temporarily, but the sewage appears to come back every few months. This could be a result of a derelict building at the top of the koppies that displaced people are currently occupying. The city’s group forensics department is currently investigating this property, he added.

“In light of the service delivery issues, I went on a tour of the suburb with the urban inspector in January. It was agreed that the suburb faces many challenges and that a service delivery blitz is required in the area.

“I do empathise with residents and do believe they deserve better services as they have always been good ratepayers who take much interest in their suburb. I would also like to thank the members of the Oakdene Neighborhood Watch and the Oakdene Awareness Group for the contributions they make to the area,” he added.

Chrichton is encouraging residents to log all service delivery issues in the area on 011 375 5555 and to then forward him the reference number for further escalation.

For free daily local news in the south, visit our sister newspapers Alberton Record, Comaro Chronicle, Southern Courier and Get it Joburg South Magazine.

Remember to visit our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. You can also email our offices on cvdwalt@caxton.co.za, juliem@caxton.co.za or luckyt@caxton.co.za

Add us on WhatsApp today! Comaro Chronicle: 079 427 8074 and Southern Courier: 079 404 5789.