Maintenance at Jan Smuts Park hampered by resource constraints

According to the City of Ekurhuleni, maintenance delays at Jan Smuts Park are due to resource constraints faced by the municipality.

This was in response to the article in last week’s Brakpan Herald, ‘Park turns into a wasteland’.

It was reported that the once popular recreation area has become an eyesore, leaving many residents frustrated and bemoaning the deplorable state of the park and the Brakpan Dam.

During a visit to the park last week, the Herald found the complaints of residents to be warranted. Among other grievances, the area was engulfed in long grass and the paved pathways were covered in weeds.

The dustbins were teeming with rubbish, and sewage was leaking onto the road leading to the playground area.

The hyacinth was also still flourishing and the dam’s surface was not visible. The Herald found the area not safe for children as one of the courts was covered in shards of broken glass.

The park was closed until further notice in November 2017 for the removal of hyacinth, which has plagued the Brakpan Dam for many years.

In 2019, despite the hyacinth infestation, the park underwent an upgrade with a variety of new facilities.

The park was then re-opened in June 2022. It was also reported at the time that a long-term solution had been found that will see a public/private partnership removing hyacinth from the dam and turning the plants into compost.

This service was to be rendered at no cost to the municipality and was also supposed to create jobs.
Now, less than two years later, the park is severely neglected and there appears to be no solution to tackling the hyacinth problem.

Regarding the latter, CoE spokesperson Zweli Dlamini told the Herald the municipality applied the chemical method of control to arrest the growth of the plant in the past. He also confirmed the plants are no longer being turned into compost.

“The partnership came to an end in December. The company was doing the harvesting and composting at their own cost,” he said.

“Due to the size of the Brakpan Dam and extent of the water hyacinth coverage, a considerable amount would be needed to deal with the challenge.

“The city is exploring other partnerships for beneficiation of the water hyacinth still at no cost to the city.”

He stated the sewage issues in the park are currently being referred to the Water and Sanitation Department as and when they occur.

“The underlying causes are under assessment, and we aim to resolve them promptly. A timeline for the repairs will be provided as it becomes available,” he said.

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As for the other maintenance issues, such as grass-cutting and rubbish removal, Dlamini affirmed the department is addressing these issues and is committed to resuming maintenance as soon as resources are available.

“While there have been significant challenges due to resource constraints, it is important to note that general maintenance activities, such as cleaning of dustbins and litter picking, have been ongoing. Grass-cutting was last conducted in February. The city is committed to resuming full maintenance activities as soon as additional resources are available,” he said.

Dlamini added the repair and maintenance of the vandalised toilet facilities have been referred to the Real Estate Department for action.

Concerning illegal activities in the park, such as theft and vandalism, as well as individuals consuming alcohol or abusing drugs – as reported by one resident – Dlamini explained the current security set-up at the park involves a limited number of guards, primarily stationed at the park entrance during operational hours.

“These security personnel are tasked with monitoring for suspicious behaviour, preventing criminal activities such as theft and vandalism, and ensuring that park rules, such as no drinking, are followed,” he said.

“However, due to the challenges of covering such a broad area with the number of personnel available, the effectiveness in managing these duties across the entire park can be limited.

“The department is aware of these limitations and the matter is being referred to the EMPD for a comprehensive security re-evaluation.”