Locked gates explained
Some community members have been surprised to find the gates to the Benoni Northerns Sports Club locked in the early mornings, recently.
There are also those who walk their dogs at Northern Areas who have been asked to leave the premises.
In a press release, the Benoni Northerns main club executive committee clarified their reasoning by stating: “Benoni Northerns Sports Club is a facility designated by the Ekurhuleni Metro for organised sporting activity.
“Activities that take place on these fields are run under the auspices of the metro, Benoni Northerns Sports Club and the various provincial and national sporting bodies that govern the sporting codes.
“There are several activities strictly prohibited by the metro and these are indicated on signage at the fields.
“Examples of such activities are golf, dog walking and camping.
“Recently, there have been several safety and security concerns at the club, especially the fields adjacent to John Barrable Hall and at the John Barrable Hall itself.
“In response to these concerns the metro and Benoni Northerns have employed additional security measures, one of which is locking the gates in the evening and re-opening them the following morning.
“This is done to limit exposure of assets and staff to realistic threats, while allowing scheduled maintenance and sporting activities to continue.
“This has impacted mostly on unauthorized activities on these fields.
“Wherever possible, the club and the metro strive to deliver a sporting facility for the community at large.
“The club and its members invest vast sums of money and time to keep the club running.
“We encourage those who would like to make use of the grounds to join the club and work within the framework provided.”
