#ELECTIONS 2024 – SUBURB WATCH: WITFIELD

As part of the Boksburg Advertiser’s Suburb Watch, our team zoomed in on Witfield to learn the good, the bad and the ugly in the area.

THE BAD AND THE UGLY
Residents said growing illegal dumping sites, rivers of sewage flowing on the streets that threaten the health of the community, unkempt public spaces and green spaces invaded by people who engage in nefarious activities, including noise nuisance, public drinking and public indecency have besieged their area.

Residents lamented that they have no choice but to put up with poorly maintained roads full of hazards, including potholes, cracked tarmac, broken traffic lights and street lights.
As if this was not enough to endure, residents must also put up with the clouds of toxic smoke from the almost daily tyre burning by scrap metal collectors in the veld on Main Reef Road.

They also raised concerns about the widespread illegal power connections by the adjacent informal settlements and the danger posed by illegal mining by zama zamas using the mine shaft near the corner of Main Reef Road and Main Street.
Residents feel their repeated calls for help to address all these issues seem to always fall on deaf ears.

A senior staff member at a factory on Solomon Road adjacent to the river of sewage flowing down the road and the mountains of illegally dumped waste bemoaned the lack of service delivery from authorities.

The worker, who asked not to be identified because he is unauthorised to speak to the media on behalf of the company, said the hundreds of workers in their company and neighbouring businesses have, for weeks now, endured the stench of raw sewage flowing down the street from an upstream damaged sewer drain.

ALSO READ: Hyacinth removed from Witfield Dam

“This illegal dumping happens daily in broad daylight. Mostly, it’s people arriving in bakkies and mini-trucks to dump industrial waste, including chemicals, plastic and paper waste, car wreckages and other items.
“The sewage spill is an old and recurring nightmare, and the municipality has failed to find a long-term solution,” said the employee.

The employee said the ageing underground water pipes, which regularly develop leaks, compound the road defects on Solomon Road.
Meanwhile, resident Shane Cilliers said, “Public drinking in parks in our area has become a cause for concern that has been allowed to escalate unchecked.”

THE GOOD 
During the Advertiser’s recent visit to the area, it became clear that despite all the service delivery woes, residents of this close-knit community are not just sitting back and watching their neighbourhood go to the dogs.

They have taken matters into their own hands, cleaning and cutting the grass and repairing road defects, including potholes. Last week, on March 16, the residents repaired over 40 potholes in various parts of the area, including Saint James Street and Goldband Avenue.

One volunteer, André van Wyk, said the community decided to do something after they were tired of dodging potholes and begging the metro to deliver services.
Through fundraisers and donations, the residents collected enough money to turn a section of their suburb (Lilianton) into what is known as a gated community, with physical barriers, access gates, and community patrollers to seal themselves off from crime.

Resident Charlene Day said crime-fighting efforts have borne fruit because they have noted less crime since it was enclosed.
Ward 33 Clr Ashley Hoods said that among the good stories to tell about the area is the ongoing project to remove the hyacinth in Witfield Dam.
”I’m happy to report that maintenance is still underway at the Witfield Dam.”

Also Read: Witfield dam in dire state