The Amanzimtoti Bird Sanctuary needs urgent attention if there’s any hope of restoring Toti’s valuable gem to its former glory.
Besides recurring sewage spills into its waterways, the infrastructure needs repairs.
“The park is run down and no maintanance is done on it,” said Toti Conservancy’s Lee Lewis.
Various urgent repairs were brought to the municipality’s attention since April by the conservancy, but to date nothing has been done.
An aerator pump was brought in to help improve the water quality, which helped for the short while it was there, but when it was taken away, the stench of sewage once again resumed over the park. Toti Conservancy requested the aerator be set up again, which is being done.
There are several large gaps in the perimeter wall where panels have been removed, which now allows the park to be used as a thoroughfare.
Alien invasive plants are flourishing in the park and the bridge needs repairing.
“We don’t know what else to do. It is not safe to bring your children to,” said Lee, who was held up by knifepoint in the park about 13 years ago, with her children.
Even in a dilapidated state, the park is home to more than 86 different species of birds, including palm nut vultures, narina trogon and spotted thrush, porcupines, bush pigs and the occasional duiker, although these are hunted by dogs, which have free access through the broken perimeter fence.
“We need to get the park back to what it was,” said Lee. “We are ratepayers, we deserve better than this.”
