The Willowbrook, Ruimsig, Amarosa and Poortview (WRAP) Residents Association tackled yet another problematic open area last week in their ongoing campaign to clean up their area.
According to WRAP chairperson Martin van der Westhuizen, unmaintained open spaces have become a haven for vagrants and criminals throughout the Northside.
“As much as we all like that we have many natural areas in our neighbourhoods, they are becoming a problem. Overgrown open areas provide cover for cable thieves, vagrants, and illegal recyclers. We have to ensure that our communities are safe and secure and that criminals do not have anywhere to conduct their business. We are eliminating the eyesore element, and beautifying our open spaces.”
In addition to securing and beautifying, Van der Westhuizen has also been on a quest to rid the area of invasive vegetation.
“We aim to eventually replace alien and invasive species with species that would naturally occur in our area.
“Some of these invasive species consume so much water and spread so fast, that our indigenous species simply cannot compete, and eventually die off.”
WRAP, one of the most active residents’ associations in the Northside, has been working closely with the Toolbox team. Toolbox is a project by The Bethany House Trust, where they provide jobs, skills training, and reintegration for former addicts.
“The work that the Toolbox team does is amazing,” says Van der Westhuizen. “Their rehabilitation and reintegration programmes make a real difference for these people.”
The latest clean-up operation was carried out at the greenbelt near Pierre Road, where the Toolbox team cleared litter and removed some invasive Wattles.
“There is still a lot of work to be done,” says Van der Westhuizen.
“Nearly every day we get reports from residents of spaces where they have found evidence of criminal activity like cable theft in open areas.”
