Westenburg residents demand a better park

POLOKWANE – Westenburg residents say they are annoyed and frustrated with the municipality and claim maintenance work at the municipal park is neglected.

Review investigated their complaints and found that the playground is full of weed and dead grass. There are no benches in the park or ablution facilities.

“The park is not fully equipped for a family outing. There are no braai facilities, no benches or grass to sit on and no toilets. The park is more than 20 years old and in this period there were never ablution facilities at the park,” one resident said.

According to the residents, the municipality is neglecting their community and they want to know why.

“In Flora Park, the park is nice and well looked after with toilet facilities available.

“The same goes for Seshego and other surrounding areas. Now the municipality is busy with a park in Welgelegen that will cost the taxpayer R800 000 and the people in that area don’t even want the park there. Why can’t the municipality use some of that money to upgrade our park. We don’t want anything fancy, just toilets, braai facilities and a few benches,” another resident said.

Tidimalo Chuene, municipal spokesperson said vandalism and theft was a problem at the Westenburg park.

“The main re-establishment and upgrading of the park took place in the 2009/10 financial year. It is unfortunate that each time we make any renovations there is immediate vandalism. At some stage we repainted the playground equipment and the paint was scratched off while it was still wet. There used to be a jungle gym, benches, braai-stands and swings. These were all stolen and we subsequently had them replaced,” Chuene said.

She added that replacement items were also vandalised and stolen.

“To replace and repair these items sets the municipality back financially and deprives the community of much needed recreational facilities.

“The municipality is still committed to bring the park up to standard, depending on the availability of funds.

“The municipality also has plans in place for ablution facilities, not only at the Westenburg park, but at all parks in the municipality.

“We will also embark on intensive public awareness programmes to educate the residents and highlight the problem of vandalism,” Chuene said.

Residents say there were never any braai-stands or benches at the park.

The municipality urges residents to report any acts of vandalism and theft at (015) 290 2000, (015) 290 2457 or (015) 290 2458 or to the South African Police Services.