A lapa at the Extension 9 park was recently burned down by unknown people.
According to information from members of the Seventh Garden Primary Cooperative they found the lapa already down.
It all began in 2000 when a group of young community members responded to a call by the local municipality in the department of development, planning and environment and waste management to form cooperatives.
“In 2002 the United Nation Youth General Assembly (UNYGA) released a final document to be implemented in all spheres of governments in the world. Seventh Garden Primary Cooperatives LTD took an advantage and solicits the action plan as promulgated by the document hence the establishment of eMalahleni Waste Management Committee (EWMC) and now the eMalahleni Environment and Waste Management Committee (EEWMC). In 2004 Seventh Garden Primary Cooperative managed to send a funding proposal to the municipality and in 2010 was granted R7.3 m to execute the plan. The plan was to combat the triple challenges faced by the country which are unemployment, poverty and inequality,” said Mr Azaria Mabena chairperson of the organisation.
According to Mr Mabena they were now faced with some challenges as the memorandum of understanding was never followed by the parties involved and the constitution was flawed and the Emalahleni Public Works Programme (EPWP) never live up to its mandate and there was no exit plan leading to community members vandalising the place and hence the burning of the lapa according to Mr Mabena.
The palisade covering the park was removed by people putting pipes near the park but were never put back resulting in some people vandalising the park. The palisade taken from the park were placed near the loveLife Centre in Extension 5.
Mr Mabena further said that they had hope to create more jobs, provide education and training but lack of funding, lack of political will, led to the neglect of the park. He said the challenges led them to abandon the park since 2000 which was a let down to all their achievements.
“We recommend the implementation of Vision 2030 and the National Development Plan (NDP), immediate implementation of eMalahleni Environment and Waste Management Committee plan, refurbishment of existing infrastructure, sustaining the people’s park and sustaining the existing ten parks. We would like to thank the Nkangala District Municipality, eMalahleni Local Municipality ward 6 and 7 community members,” added Mabena.
