Stinky park a health risk
Leaking sewerage at Meyrick Bennett Park is a health hazard.
RAW sewage that is seeping into Meyrick Bennett Park has been added to the list of woes residents living within the vicinity have to put up with.
In recent weeks, Berea Mail has reported on the vagrants who use the park. Metro Police did respond to remove them but the vagrants have returned and are still lighting fires and sleeping in the park, much to the annoyance of nearby residents.
“It’s something I just won’t tolerate anymore!” said one of the residents.
He said the municipality had still not addressed the raw sewage flowing into the park or the litter that was left lying around. “The vagrants ‘wash’ in the sewer water that leaks there, so if council fixes that they will have one less reason to come back soon,” he said.
On visiting the park, the stench from the sewer could be smelt more than 100 meters away.
According to Heather Rorick of the Bulwer Community Safety Forum, members of the forum had seen the sewage pooled over a large section of park while on patrol. She said it seemed to seep into the ground.
“My concern with the sewage is that it keeps on being a problem and seems to seep up from underground at the park. There is a hospital on the one side where the sewage comes up, and not too far away a park for children to play in – the health risks of this as well as the stench in the area is not good at all.
“This has been reported many times and we have been told that it is being dealt with, but it seems it has not. This park also has a huge problem with vagrants who sleep there.”
She said while on patrol in the area members had found stolen copper that theives had hidden down a manhole in the park.
Guy Perrins of the Glenwood Community Watch said vagrants seemed to be changing their habits and were sleeping in the parks during the day, carrying out their ablutions and lighting fires.
“The issue of the sewer was reported three weeks ago. I’m surprised the hospital hasn’t complained about it, the smell is unbelievable. The police say parks are Metro Police’s jurisdiction, but the Parks Department also need to get involved and do patrols.”
Despite requests, eThekwini Municipality had not responded at the time of going to press.
