City responds to Mayberry Park outcry over crime and service delivery failure

The City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) responded to concerns of Mayberry Park residents, detailed in an Alberton Record article on May 5.

Residents painted a grim picture of life in the suburb, citing rising crime, collapsing infrastructure and what they may view as neglect by the municipality.

The article outlined a series of disturbing incidents, including a recent murder during a night-time robbery, a rape in an overgrown park in 2023 and a fatal robbery which occurred 14 years ago.

Burglaries have become a weekly occurrence, according to resident Robin Venter, and domestic workers reportedly walk in groups for safety.

Residents say criminals are becoming bolder, citing a recent incident where they stole a neighbour’s car tyres in the middle of the night.

Beyond crime, the community is battling overgrown parks, unrepaired potholes and a lack of visible service delivery.

JG Strydom Road and residential streets have become hazardous because of long grass and potholes, while the water pump house on Matumi Street has become a hotspot for criminal activity.

“The fence at the water pump house is broken. People go in and out there. Before, we had a guard patrolling there. That was helping us. Now, when we get a burglary, we notify the security company. By the time they get here, the criminals have already run away and hidden at the back of the reservoir,” said Malcom Stuart.

“The community has also complained about criminals staying in the reservoir, and nothing is done. The reservoir area is covered with grass,” he added.

City responds

In response to a media query from the Alberton Record, CoE spokesperson Zweli Dlamini confirmed that action is being taken to address the issue raised by the community.

“The grass in Mayberry Park, including the area along Swartkoppies Road, is scheduled to be cut on or before the week ending May 23,” said Dlamini.

He also addressed safety concerns about the water pump house and the nearby reservoir, which residents say have become unsafe because of neglect and a broken fence.

“We have scheduled a second round of vegetation control on all the pressure-reducing valves (PRVs) and planned infrastructure maintenance before the end of May,” said Dlamini.

“We will direct the contractor to take measurements of the fence and rebuild it.”

Although the city has provided timelines for vegetation control and grass cutting, no specific date was given for when the reservoir fence will be repaired.

ALSO READ: ‘We can’t live like this’—Mayberry Park residents demand urgent action amid crime and neglect