VIDEO: City leaves Parkdene tennis courts to rot

The Ekurhuleni metro has come under fire from residents for leaving the once beautiful Parkdene tennis courts to go to wrack and ruin.

For a few months, the highly sought-after nine-court facility was left at the mercy of thieves and vandals, who unabatedly continued setting it on the path to becoming one of the city’s ruins.
Residents, including the sports community, community leaders and members of the Community Improvement Project (CIP), expressed disappointment over the metro’s failure to protect the facility.
Following complaints from the affected parties, the Boksburg Advertiser visited the site. Here is what it found:

Like many other neglected council-owned properties, vagrants have invaded the facility that bears the scars of vandalism and theft. Extensive damage has left many sections of the property unusable.
The clubhouse has been stripped of its furniture, doors, plumbing and electrical wiring. The fencing was cut out, and some floodlight poles were cut, probably by scrap metal scavengers.

Complaints fall on deaf ears
CPI, a community initiative striving to restore the city to its former glory, said its complaints over the criminal activities at the local sporting facilities, including the tennis courts, have fallen on deaf ears.
According to the CPI’s Derek Fox, several acts of vandalism at the tennis court were reported to authorities, but no one seemed to care.

“It is painful to see the taxpayer and ratepayer-funded community assets gradually falling into ruins.
“We have many talented youngsters roaming the streets plagued with drugs because there is a lack of facilities for them to do something better. Yet the city allows our sporting facilities to be rendered unusable and become a crime magnet.”

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However, instead of just lambasting the municipality, Fox said the CPI wants to see how it can help the metro work to fix the problem.
He proposed that the metro consider a public-private partnership to revamp the facility and rent it out.
Fox pointed out that this is not an isolated case.

“We have seen this around the city. Look at what is happening at the old magistrate’ court on Church Street, the police building on Commissioner Street, the boathouse at the lake, the railway line and other government-owned facilities. Unless we do something now, we will find ourselves in this position over and over again.”
Fox said he believes many in the metro have the will to protect the city’s assets, but the problem lies with the city’s key decision-makers – where fixing sporting facilities lies on the bottom shelf.

Lifeline
Residents pointed out that the tennis court had previously suffered the same fate when the tennis club closed a few years ago.
Thankfully, a resident, businessman Tony Lubbe, threw a lifeline to the troubled sporting facility by renovating it and making it his mission to prevent the illegal occupation of the property.
For some reason, a few months ago, Lubbe handed back the facility to the metro. It is understood that then the thieves started to strike, and vagrants saw an opportunity to invade it.

Lubbe confirmed that he had, for over 15 years, spent a fortune on maintaining and protecting the property, but fruitless engagement with the municipality led to his decision to wash his hands of it.
He added that the problem lies with the municipal officials who have shown an uncaring attitude towards the city’s real estate, especially recreational facilities.
The ‘unforthcoming’ municipality and the deteriorating state of the facility made him feel like he had been throwing money in a trash bin all these years.

Desperate plea
Despite the attack on the public facility, the Boksburg Basketball Park, which uses a portion of the facility, said it would not let the vandalism stop them from enjoying the sport they love.
The team, comprising over 60 boys and girls aged 14 to 18, still appeals to authorities and local businesses to answer their request to help restore the facility.

Basketball coach Mmeli Magubane said, “We started using the facility in May, and every other day, vandals come in, stripping the facility piece by piece. In its current condition, it’s not the ideal facility for playing, but the lack of facilities in the city leaves us without the option to look elsewhere.”
Urgent intervention
The concerned parties said the facility urgently needs security and fencing restoration to stem the rising tide of theft and vandalism.
After that, they can consider reconnecting the amenities, including the water and power, so the teams can run programmes there.

Magubane pointed out that this nine-court facility has the potential for conversion into multiple sporting facilities, housing hockey, basketball and netball for the local youngsters.

Devastated

Ward 32 councillor Marius de Vos, said he is appalled and devastated, to say the least, about the condition of this facility.

“In my view, the destruction of this facility reflects a clear lack of respect for public property and community development.
“This and other neglected council-owned properties are clear evidence that those in the municipality’s employ and tasked to look after these facilities are sitting on their hands. They earn very good salaries and look the other way, not taking care of these facilities.”

Highly sought-after
Ward committee member of the sports, recreation, arts and culture portfolio, Meisie Nogqala, said there were several proposals for the facility’s use. However, there seems to be a delay due to a dispute over who should get the lease agreement.
As if leaving the facility vulnerable for months is not enough, residents told this publication that officials freely admitted they had no idea what condition the facility was in before they received the complaints from residents.
The metro had not responded to our request for comment at the time of compiling this report.

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