Wierdapark residents and Springvale Primary School authorities have raised alarm over the deteriorating safety conditions and municipal service failures, as drug-related activities and dysfunctional infrastructure plague the community.
Both the residents' association and the school are seeking solutions to restore community safety. "The park is no longer a safe recreational space for families. It has become a gathering spot for vagrants and individuals engaging in concerning activities. Reports have highlighted issues such as loitering, overnight stays, public intoxication, drug use, and inappropriate behaviour, all of which pose a safety risk to our children," school authorities wrote in a letter to parents.
"In response to these concerns, we have engaged with the relevant MMC, who has since escalated the matter to the mayor of Tshwane. We are awaiting further feedback. Additionally, as a school, we are exploring the possibility of adopting the park and fencing it off to create additional parking space for our parents. We appreciate your cooperation and support as we work towards ensuring a safer and more efficient environment for our learners."
The fence and entire infrastructure at Wierdapark shopping centre is a mess. Picture: WPRA
The Wierda Park Residents' Association (WPRA) said it is considering more serious steps to get resolution for the problems in the area, and will form allegiances with the necessary organisations that take these matters seriously on behalf of rate-paying citizens of Ward 70 in Tshwane's Region 4.
"As a resident born in Wierda Park 51 years ago, I am disgusted at the lack on Tshwane's side to protect even its own infrastructure and resources. The Koedoe Park is Tshwane property. It has been seven months plus since the park has been used by community, and not even soccer is played here anymore; in fact, no one can enter the park with the violent drug dealers and squatters continuously performing acts of public indecency," WPRA chairperson Liza Vorster said.
"Needles are left there and drug pushing and injections happen right in front of school children daily. It is disgusting and residents have lost all trust in law enforcement and Tshwane's capability to rectify the matter. We have not seen any attempts to arrest the drug users, pushers and dealers. We have reported hundreds of incidents to Tshwane Metro Police Department and SAPS and we get absolutely no response. At this time most residents share the same sentiment that in the interest of our children and safety of our community we will have to step in and push until we get the matter resolved. None of these drug dealers, vagrants or squatters are contributing towards the exorbitant rates, taxes and municipal fees our residents have to fork out and not receiving any benefit in this."
Vorster said approximately 70% of Wierda Park street lights are not working and have been faulty for five years or more. "We report, we plead, we beg and are told we are not allowed to contract people to fix these lights because this is municipal property. Our streets are dark and unsafe. Our residents live in constant fear and it is just ridiculous. But dare you pay your municipal account late with two days then the power is cut or the water to your property turned off. It makes no sense."
At the shopping centre, taxis operate outside the borders placed there and have broken down Tshwane's pavements, structures and fences, and there are no proper ablution facilities placed there. Illegal traders operate in the parking area belonging to the City. The entire shopping centre is a mess, and business owners spend thousands to regularly clean up this mess. "We therefore have no choice but to explore any and all legal avenues also to our disposal as ratepayers of Tshwane," Vorster said.
The taxi rank is an eyesore. Picture: WPRA
"We are sick and tired of the crime, lawlessness, illegal vendors operating in the parking area of the shopping centre without any proper health regulations applied, the open public drinking in the parking area of this shopping centre, the abuse of municipal water such as fire hydrants for their illegal use of washing taxis in the parking area, the loud banging noises and intimidating manner of breaking the taxi boundaries into the shopping parking area. The drunk so-called car guards some high on drugs they push in this parking area and the stench of urine daily in this centre is appalling! Business owners are vacating the centre to go do business elsewhere and the value of our properties are dropping daily.
"We have a community ready to jump in, close-off the shopping centre, resurrect the guard house in the parking, install proper infrastructure (lights and cameras) to maintain and safeguard our community amenities and residents ourselves. This could definitely contribute to the upliftment of our community and the economy in general which could in turn positively enhance Tshwane also. We truly believe that Wierdapark can be restored and hope for change and the possibility to take hands with Tshwane for the better of all and to find amicable solutions."
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1 Comment
It is a huge problem, more and more vigrants are coming to the park, sleep, eat, pee and inject themselves. It is not safe for our children, what example do we show our kids. Who learn and play on the other side of the fench.
These people do not stay in our community they must leave. Yet, people promote this as they provide food parcels and pray for them in the park. Drug lords deliver the drugs. Please take this further, the centre is already a disgrace. We cannot have loiters as well.