The knock-on effect of unresolved issues in Witgatboom Avenue has one resident questioning what his ward councillor and the City of Ekurhuleni are doing to help the community.
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Mark Lodder, who has lived in the same house for 20 years, said the issues plaguing residents and businesses in the street compounded over the last five years. He has received very little assistance from his elected ward representative.
According to Lodder, his nightmare of unresolved problems began when there was a major water leak bordering Action Park around five years ago.
While the leak was reported as repaired and teams were on site, water continued to seep into the park from the pipe.
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Several months later, contractors arrived to build a retention wall in Action Park to prevent excess rainwater from gushing into Monument Road.
Lodder explained that the now permanent water leak filled the retention dam and began to leak further into the park.
“We have a terrible mosquito problem because of the water in the park. A few years ago, the cables were stolen from Action Park, which meant there were no more night-time lights.”
Despite being told there were no cables in the park, CCTV footage from Lodder’s cameras shows electrical sparks at the base of one of the lights, moments before streetlights on an entire section of Monument Road as well as all the lights along Witgatboom Avenue went out several months ago.
He believed the water from the leak had reached the base of the lights in the park.
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The added cover of darkness gave thieves access to steal a manhole cover at the intersection of Monument Road and Witgatboom Avenue.
“It took months to get the cover replaced, but it doesn’t fit correctly.”
Lodder said trucks and other vehicles turning into Monument Road easily displaced the poorly fitting cover, resulting in it being a hazard to pedestrians and vehicles.
“We also have a water leak under the road near the intersection of Witgatboom Avenue and Monument Road, which has been repeatedly reported to the City of Ekurhuleni. It leaks all day from under the road but they always mark it as repaired when it is not,” Lodder said.
He fears that the leaking water may cause the formation of a sinkhole.
Additionally, the lack of lighting on Witgatboom Avenue and Monument Road has had a knock-on effect on crime in the area.
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“In the last two years, there have been five hijacking attempts in Witgatboom Avenue. Three of those were successful.
“There have been seven burglary attempts in the last year, including at my own property. Two of those have been successful.”
Lodder has spent over R22 000 to secure his property from criminal threats.
“Every time we report the streetlights, we are told they are not a priority but the safety of my family is my priority,” he said.
A main water pipe burst in November last year, outside Lodder’s property.
“It was reported and fixed the same day, but they did not fill the hole. When I questioned this, I was told that the hole needed to stay open for 14 days before it could be filled. A car came around the corner, clipped the rubble and drove into the still unfixed hole breaking the pipe again 21 days after the pipe was repaired.
“The next day the pipe was repaired again. Only at the end of January did a team arrive to fill the hole,” Lodder said.
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He added that the stop-and-go taxi drop-off area next to Action Park had become a permanent taxi rank.
“Because we have no lights in the park, vagrants have moved in.”
He told The Express that he continually has to repair broken fencing at the park to prevent vagrants from accessing the street.
“There is a massive drug problem in the park. The neighbours and I are always picking up packets of pills and needles,” Lodder said.
He said the owners of the BMX track ensure that the area of the park they are using is well-maintained by asking for donations.
The surrounding businesses and residents in Witgatboom Avenue do their best to make their properties look good.
“We want to uplift the area. We need these small issues to be taken care of but it’s one joke after another,” he said.
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Lodder said he repeatedly reported these issues to his ward councillor Jaco Terblanche.
“I have sent him reference numbers, videos and photographs. I attended his meetings and visited him when he had his tent in the park.
“I have invited him over to see what we deal with at night. I have reported the refuse truck that drives past my house and leaves my bins unemptied, but he doesn’t do anything,” Lodder said.
He added that he had lost faith in his councillor’s ability to do his job.
“I don’t want to complain for no reason but for five years we have been dealing with one issue after the other without much help,” Lodder said.
The Kempton Express sent an enquiry to the City of Ekurhuleni, as well as Terblanche on March 1.
A comment was requested by March 6.
At the time of going to print we received no comment.
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