POLOKWANE – Concerned residents phoned Review on Friday morning (today), to inform us that the city’s cricket fields are still being watered. Residents claim this happens up to three times a week. Review paid a visit to the cricket field and it was clear that the fields have recently been watered, with puddles of water forming on the grounds. Recently, residents reported that the Traffic Department’s lawns were also being watered. The municipality explained that the Traffic Department was not watering the lawns but that an irrigation pipe was faulty.
The matter has been brought under the municipality’s attention by ward members of the DA, but no action has been taken.
Municipal Stakeholder Relations Officer, Disree Manyane says the municipality issued an internal instruction in July, directed at all responsible for maintenance of parks and gardens to suspend watering with immediate effect until further notice. So far the response has been positive.
“Due to the nature of activities that have to take place at our sports facilities and the contracts that we have in place, the municipality isolated a number of strategic facilities – including the cricket fields – so that they could be maintained to a minimal level. The arrangement is that minimal watering should be utilised in this instance,” she explains.
“Regarding the flooding, the explanation received is that in the event that the facility experiences tripping of electricity, the irrigation system would turn on voluntarily until it is reset and switched off. This was the case in this instance. We appreciate feedback from the community because it helps us improve our operations and ensure that we run a clean system and deliver the best to the communities,” she concluded.
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