Residents ‘gatvol’ over Musgrave eyesore
Residents are shocked about the state of the pavement in a section of Musgrave Road.
LACK of service delivery has residents in a block of flats in Musgrave Road are calling for the municipality to clean up a stretch of the road that was dug up last year after a fault at a substation was fixed.
According to Elsa Kreie who lives at 333 Musgrave Road, she and other residents have been fighting with the municipality about the pavement outside the block of flats and an open grass patch which is being used as a dumping sight and never maintained properly.
“In August last year some department dug up our pavement and closed it temporarily. The concrete walkway across the Sydenham Road bridge is collapsing and it is becoming extremely dangerous for pedestrians. I have requested that they pave the grass patch to stop the dumping of rubbish,” she said.
Kreie said not even the ward councillors were getting answers from the relevant municipal departments.
“It is an absolute eyesore and it is dangerous. I am ‘gatvol’ of fighting with the municipality. I drive along Musgrave Road with German tourists on a regular basis as we enjoy the view of Durban from Currie Road. Others from this block have complained as well. I am totally frustrated and not the only one,” she said.
Ward councillor Jethro Lefevre said he had contacted the Parks Department on many occasions and on Tuesday this week had asked Jabulani Mdiniso to cut the grass patch again.
“He said they couldn’t as it was raining, but when I contacted him again later when the rain had stopped, I got no response. It has been two months since it was cut. People are being mugged here. Criminals are jumping over the wall into the block of flats and committing robberies and there’s now even a mattress against the wall where people are sleeping,” he said.
He said there was a blow out at the substation in August last year and after the fault was found and fixed, no one had returned to finish the job.
“Two weeks ago the pavement on the other side of the bridge was repaired, but residents were told by workers that it was not their job to fix the other side. The residents pay exorbitant rates but they have to live with this eyesore. I am frustrated as I have tried to get answers and action, however residents think I, as the councillor, am not doing my job, when it’s the city officials. I will do all I can to have this sorted out,” said Lefevre.
