For more than three decades, Escape Boating, in Kemston Avenue, has cemented itself as a trusted manufacturer and technical service provider within the boat fraternity.

In 2011, the family run business took a giant leap in expanding its business offering, purchasing a property in Kemston Avenue, overlooking the lapping waters of the Kleinfontein Dam.

“Following the application processes, the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) granted us permission to responsibly make use of the dam as a means of testing our crafts as well as offering prospective buyers the opportunity to test drive vessels,” said Neil Barker, owner of Escape Boating.

Excited about the how the move could catapult the business, a slip was constructed to safely launch boats with Barker and his team maintaining the surrounding banks, creating an inviting backdrop to its operations.

“In 2019, we noticed that, like some of the other water bodies around Benoni, hyacinth populations started rooting within the dam. Despite our best efforts the invasive plants flourished unabated making access to the water impossible,” Barker said.

“Following numerous consultations with the council, a tender was awarded to a private contractor to, with the use of a water harvester, undertake removal work.”

Chugging into action, it was hoped that the water body would soon be restored to its glistening former glory to the benefit of the boating enthusiasts as well as the greater community.

Removal operations however, soon ground to a halt and accelerated deterioration within the partially fenced off area has Barker re-evaluating his property investment.

“At the beginning of the year we noticed that vagrants removed the access gate to the dam, using old matrasses to create a make-shift gate,” he said.

“The space surrounding the abandoned water harvester has been transformed into an informal refuse sorting area, where the burning of rubber and plastic has resulted in our workshop, as well as that of surrounding businesses, being engulfed in black toxic smoke, on a daily basis.

“It is unacceptable that rate-paying businesses have to witness their investments depreciating, due to the metro’s lack in ensuring that projects are completed and by-laws are enforced.”

Additional operational costs

During a visit to the dam, the Benoni City Times witnessed a man sorting through heaps of rubbish, adding items to an already smouldering fire.

We further found that the CoE’s water harvester has been vandalised and stripped of materials which may carry a resale value.

The presence of bedding and a matrass under the undercarriage of the machine indicated that it is being used as shelter against the elements.

Barker continued by saying that although it is not clear what impact the burning of potentially hazardous materials have on the health of employees, the presence of vagrants have raised security concerns among clients.

“Our inability to make use of the dam has also led to incurring additional operational costs,” he said.

“We now have to transport the boats to the East Rand Speedboat Club, at the CR Swart Dam, in Rynfield for testing purposes. In order to make use of the facility, we have to maintain membership fees.

“It is quite frustrating that we have a dam 100m away from our door yet it is left to rot. Our enquiries and concerns continue to go unanswered.”

Speaking about the future of the business, Barker said that relocating is not a viable option at the time.

“I risk incurring a massive loss should we decide to move. Due to the deterioration of the area, buildings are not selling. Investment buyers are not interested,” he said.

“We can only hope that the city’s leadership come to the table with workable solutions, instead of watching as businesses continue to struggle.”

A request for comment has been sent to the CoE spokesperson, Zweli Dlamini, none was received at the time of publication.

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