Residents’ verge project blooms
People found guilty of removing plants from a municipal property could face possible fines.
RESIDENTS in Willingdon, Intengu and Elizabeth Avenue in Kloof have volunteered to keep the railway line from Elizabeth bridge to the bridge at Pioneer Road, clean and tidy.
According to a resident, Kirsten King, she and other residents were approached by a man named Zinti Jerome Nzimande, looking for a job three years ago. Jerome was injured during the riots in the late 80s, and had difficulty finding employment since. The residents employed him to clear all the litter from the railway line which he does every Monday.
He collects 20 bags of litter every Monday, in exchange for a decent pay, breakfast, lunch and the black bags to collect the litter.
Another keen resident who’s passionate about the environment, but wanted to remain anonymous, decided to clean the area and keep it tidy and safe. She asked her two gardeners, Leonard Mhlongo and Joseph Qinsile to cut down all alien invasive plants and vegetation on the railway line.
“We, as a neighbourhood, decided to landscape the verge and donated plants from our gardens to beautify the area. The gardeners maintain the upkeep of the area and spend six days a month making sure its all in order,” she said.
However, while some of the residents do their best to keep the area tidy and beautiful, there was an incident where a man, driving a white Chevrolet Corsa pick up arrived on the municipal land on Sunday 23 March between 1pm and 3pm, and dug up some of the plants from that area. He was assisted by his gardener. Another resident approached him but he said, “It’s municipal land, I can do whatever I like”. But the plants had been planted privately at the cost of the residents.
The residents have discovered that there are bylaws protecting municipal property and the perpetrator has been identified and will be dealt with accordingly.
King said she is hoping other residents will initiate their own little project within their areas and employ Jerome for the rest of the week. Areas needing attention include the Maytime bridge and the Pioneer Road bridge. Contact Kirsten King on 083 356 3703.
