Sydenham residents are appealing to the eThekwini Municipality to clean up the Georgehill Road park.
Once a site with manicured lawns, colourful flowerbeds and a well-known spot for community markets, family picnics and music concerts, Georgehill Road is eroded into a slum with overgrown grass and trees that serve as a hiding spot for criminals.
This week, IOL spoke to Ward 31 councillor Remona Mckenzie, who expressed her frustration with the City's failure to tackle the problem.
Mckenzie said she has been inundated with complaints about the area, which has become a criminal haven and hive of drug-related crimes in recent years.
‘’There is a sewage pipe leak behind the church, and vagrants use the liquid to wet cardboard. I have asked the City officials to come and assess for where the blockage is,’’ she said.
Mckenzie said there are ponds in the area and overgrown grass, and children could fall over into the pond.
She said even people living at the nearby informal settlement had expressed concerns for their safety.
Eugene Appenah and Carl Lortan of the Sydenham Ratepayer’s Association have both lived in the community for over 50 years and say it has been heartbreaking to see the degradation of Georgehill Road.
Appennah said it is up to the community to keep the area clean. He said the municipality needs to come to the party and help residents keep the area tidy.
Lortan added that the grass and trees being cut would help safeguard the hundreds of people who frequent the adjoining Randles Road to catch a bus or walk to and from the local church.
The City's head of communications, Lindiwe Khuzwayo, said they have noted the concerns raised and a team was sent to investigate the matter.
‘’Our inspection revealed that due to the swamp and damp grass in the facility the grass tends to grow quickly. The grass had been recently cut but would need to be attended to again. This will be done. We also found the presence of alien plants like Mexican sunflower, solanum and many more. These will be removed.
‘’Our inspection also found that cardboard sellers have been using the pond and the area for wetting cardboard to sell. Our law enforcement officers have been tasked to attend to this. We also discovered that unknown individuals have made use of the pond to relieve themselves. Law enforcement has been tasked to also attend to this and stop people from doing this. We will also be organising a clean-up,’’ she said.
IOL