Sandspruit River loses its natural beauty

Buys lives nearby the river that runs through Innesfree Park in Strathavon.

She is worried that the City of Johannesburg is no longer looking after the river area like it used to.

“The main reason I moved here was because of the river and the nature that comes with it, but that is slowly withering away now,” said Buys. She complained about building contractors who dumped rubble in the river, and suspected that the buildings under construction in the vicinity of the river were not within the legal building parameters. “Some of these buildings are way too close to the river,” explained Buys.

“A building inspector needs to come and evaluate some of these constructions. This can have a very dangerous outcome. It is not safe to be so close to the river as it can get quite flooded if the rainwater does not have a clear pathway, especially with all this building rubble in the way,” she said.

Millicent Kabwe, spokesperson for Johannesburg Water said his department was unaware of the conditions at the river. “We will send a team out to see if Johannesburg Water has a role to play,” he said.

Ward 91 councillor, Andrew Stewart assessed the area and agreed with Buys that a building inspector would need to evaluate whether the buildings were within the legal building parameters.

“In all likelihood, the wall will need to be demolished,” said Stewart. “A small wall has been built in an attempt to protect the property and the river bank from further erosion. However, a wall like this would have to be built with the assistance of a qualified engineer and they would need to apply for the necessary way leave.”