The beauty that once was at the Elsburg/Weideman Dam is no more.
The area is in such a state of neglect that you can no longer even see the water in the dam, let alone the park area.
The GCN visited the dam recently to have a look at the current state of affairs at the site.
We were met with an incredibly overgrown area, with reeds so high that you couldn’t even see if there was water in the dam.
At one stage you could walk to the water, but now the grass is so long and the area so overgrown that you cannot get near the dam.
The entire area is a nightmare of neglect.
Jack Koekemoer, a resident in the area, said: “I spent my childhood growing up at the park and dam and when I recently took my son to where we used to fish, we were met with great disappointment.
“The whole park is unmaintained and we saw dead birds lying in the reeds.
“When we went to the top of the dam there was hardly any water and we saw dead fish lying there. The smell of the water is also unbearable.”
Another issue of concern for Koekemoer was the fact that it is easy for criminals to hide in the long grass.
Another Elsburg resident, who does not wish to be named, who recently called the Germiston SPCA to help remove four baby goslings from her pool, complained that the metro did not cared about the welfare of the animals at the Elsburg Dam.
“The metro are aware of the animals at the Elsburg Dam, and yet have made no effort to care for them or the dam,” she said.
Another resident, who also wishes to remain anonymous, raised concerns about the length of the grass in and around the dam.
“You cannot get near the water because of the long grass,” he said.
“Criminals can also hide in the area causing a risk to our security.”
Despite numerous requests for comment from the metro regarding the condition of the dam area and what is going to be done about it, at the time of going to press no comment had been received.
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