Disaster is only a rainfall away at Secunda Duck Pond
If the wall breaks, the bridge will cave in, and the entire Duck Pond will run dry
SECUNDA – One more heavy rain torrent and it might be the end of the Secunda Duck Pond as we know it.
This is the opinion of Messrs Ernst Pretorius and Frans Pretorius of Secunda Steamers, the team that operates the little steam trains and train rails around the dam.
They have been battling to keep one of the bridges on the opposite side of the Duck Pond from collapsing and taking their train track with it.
The barrage under the bridge that was built to stop the dam from running dry, is now eroding rapidly.
“If the wall breaks, the bridge will cave in and the entire Duck Pond will run dry. This will be an ecological disaster for our town,” explained Mr Ernst Pretorius.
“We have been filling up the affected area with sand bags, but this is only a temporary solution,” said Mr Frans Pretorius.
He is concerned about the safety of pedestrians, the steamers and children who often play in this part of the park.
“The youngsters often spend time under the bridge to dig out worms and other forms of bait with which they can catch fish.”
The Secunda Steamers also has a huge event coming up in October.
They will be the host to the national steamers convention on 27 and 28 October when stream train enthusiasts throughout the country will be in Secunda to show their trains.
The men fear that the bridge will not last until then, or at best, not be able to endure all the traffic that weekend.
Although the Duck Pond area belongs to Govan Mbeki Municipality, Sasol Ikusasa has been cleaning and patrolling the area, but according to Mr Frans Pretorius they are unable to assist in this matter.
The Secunda Steamers team has also been doing maintenance work and is systematically trying to beautify the area with little rock gardens along the railroad. They have dreams for the Duck Pond that include the building of a tunnel.
“We have a lot of aspiration for the Duck Pond, but we lack the money and the technical and civil engineering know-how,” said Mr Frans Pretorius.
This is what prevents them from coming up with a permanent solution to the problem of the eroding bridge.
“We need the community now more than ever. Please help us to save the Duck Pond.”
