The looming presence of a damaged wall at the Rabie Ridge Sports Complex has cast shadows of uncertainty over its residents whether it will be fixed or not.
The plight of the community came to light in a recent article titled Collapsed complex wall leaves community with safety fears [Week ending April, 26, 2024], shedding light on the struggles faced by those affected.
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Upon acknowledging the situation, Pierre Nel, the assistant director for the City of Johannesburg’s Citizen Relationship and Urban Management (Crum) Region A, confirmed the city’s awareness of the collapsed wall.
However, despite this acknowledgement, a concrete timeline for restoration was notably absent, leaving the community in a state of perpetual anticipation.
Until today, the wall remains unattended, and the damage keeps increasing.
The frustration echoing through the community found a voice in Charles Jones, the chairperson of the Rabie Ridge Residents Association.
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Jones articulated the shared exasperation felt by residents and sports organisations alike, emphasising the urgency of the situation.
Recounting conversations with Region A Sports and Recreation, Jones highlighted the pressing need for action.
“I spoke to Region A Sport and Recreation as we wanted to know the way forward with the damaged walls at the stadium because we had three soccer teams that approached us as residents association,” said Jones.
“So they [Sport and Recreation] said they had put in the request and the city did sent out contractors to assess. However, they are not sure when they are going to start with the repair or fixing the walls.
“They also mentioned that the land invaders’ protest which flares up from time to time was hindering the repair work since the initial cause of the wall damage was attributed to the protest itself.”
The delay in repairs has not only disrupted the sporting activities within the complex but also raised safety concerns for those utilising the facility.
“This is on the agendas of our association’s executive meetings –it is very unsafe for soccer teams and people that are using that facility as well at the stadium,” he explained.
Recognising the power of unified advocacy, the decision was made by the association to draft a formal letter to the city, emphasising the critical need for swift action.
“Although this is long overdue, we will write the letter as an association during our executive meeting on Wednesday and send it to the city,” concluded Jones.
In response, the city has asked for more time to issue a more comprehensive statement.
Related article: Rabie Ridge community urges the city to fix a fallen wall at Rabie Ridge Sports Stadium
