The copper dome of the Springs War Memorial will be restored.
Lebogang Ramashala, on behalf of Ekurhuleni Metro Municipality, reacted on questions the Addie asked after the visit to this memorial on March 13 after the Addie found men’s underwear on a cardboard box, as well as men’s clothing hanging on the fence.
The gates were bolted and a small group was huddled under the dome.
Ramashala assured residents of Springs that the War Memorial would not be demolished.
She said the metro was planning to apply for a permit from the Provincial Heritage Resources Authority to replace the copper with material similar to the copper, but not of any great commercial value.
On the closing of the gates, she said it was to prevent unauthorised entry, mainly by vagrants during the night.
According to Ramashala the vagrants, living inside the War Memorial premises, were trespassing on council property as no-one had permission to live there. Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department, on many occasions, assisted in removing vagrants, but these homeless people always come back. “The EMPD will always be requested to assist in that regard,” she said.
Ramashala said the general public may visit the memorial, but did not indicate how visitors would open the permanently bolted gate.
