BIRCH Acres extension residents are demanding that a new clinic be built in a park which they say is currently being used by the youth as a drug den.
Birch Acres Residents Committee met with the health department in January where plans for the construction of a clinic for Birch Acres ext. 23-44 were discussed.
The plans include redesigning the park into a theme park that would incorporate a clinic and recreational facilities – subject to approval by all members of the community.
“Residents want the park to house a clinic and theme park,” Ronald Mashaba, deputy chairman and spokesman for the committee said.
“Mayor Mondli Gungubele will best explain the plans, year of implementation and budget allocated for all the projects earmarked for Birch Acres in the 2015-16 financial year and beyond when he visits the area to deliver a positive feedback soon.”
However, Mashaba said the residents were “appalled” by developers who showed “capitalist tendencies”, resulting in the community not enjoying their basic human right to education and health, as there is no school nor clinic in the area.
“For this purpose we want to send out a stern warning to them: in Birch Acres we are going to do things differently. We have seen open spaces being used for commercial purposes without taking into consideration the priorities of the community. We have seen sites zoned and rezoned for charismatic churches and other businesses, which add less, if no value to our community.
“No further development will take place in Birch Acres until a site for a school, clinic and library have been allocated.”
