Residents unite for a better surburb

On Sunday the residents of Wight Park met at Indaba Park Meyer Drive for a general meeting to hopefully resolve some of the issues they experience.

Joel Makula, a member of the neighbourhood CPF, says among their most pressing concerns is the fact that patrolling keeps the criminals at bay.

“There were a few attempts over the festive season, but most of them were interrupted by us.

“These criminals no longer have all the time to carry out their activities because they know we could just be around the corner,” says Makula.

He says they also noticed that criminals are targeting the shops around Silver Lakes Pub.

“We believe that most of these break-ins are carried out by people who live here, in Wright Park.

“It is not people who come from other areas who burgle our houses.

“When they run away (from us), you can tell they know the area very well,” he adds.

One of the residents suggested that the patrollers should acquire drones that can be monitored by one person.

He believes that this would take less effort than people having to walk the streets all the time.

The residents were encouraged to join the patrolling crew.

Mandla Nsibande, a member of the fencing committee, says they need a minimum of 300 households to contribute R1 000 for the structure.

“At this point we only have 42 people but most have not popped out the full R1 000.

“Our grass is manicured but our safety is threatened.

“We need to make criminal activity difficult.”

The residents are in the process of buying and installing a fence to enclose the suburb.

Ward 74 Clr Thulani Simelane told the residents that there were three vacant positions in the ward committee.

“We need people who can commit to the work,” says Simelane.

Simelane reminded the residents that in 2016 they had requested two things to be done:

• That the parks be revamped.

•. That high masts be installed on the parks.

“Only one of the two parks has been revamped, to date.

“And for a long time the metro had no contractors to install the high masts.

“Now the city does have the contractors, so they should be installed soon.

“I requested the department of energy to attend the meeting, so that they can answer all our questions.”

He said these questions included the following:

• Why does it takes long for the street lights to be fixed when reported at the call centre?

• Why have street lights been kept on for 24 hours for more than three months?

• Why are the flood lights at Snyman Drive not working?

• What is the time response to fix street lights after being reported at the call centre?

He says he has not received any response from the department.

“The department of parks also sent an unsatisfactory response, noting that the grass-cutting budget has been exhausted for this cycle.

“They said they could not come to our meetings, to explain these things, because they do not get paid to do so.”

The councillor assured residents he would put in maximum effort to get answers the residents need from the metro.