Metro remains silent and inactive about Norkem Park Pan

One comes to a point, by looking at the past few editions of the Kempton Express, of wondering whether residents in Birch Acres would eventually fix the Norkem Park Pan themselves.
Such a reality would have hit headlines by now if it was humanly possible at all without the necessary expertise and equipment to fix the overflow of a natural water pan.

On May 11, Clr Tracy Lourenco overseeing Ward 104 and representing the environment, resource and waste management in Ekurhuleni, released a statement about the ‘inhumane conditions’.

Lourenco’s statement read: “The situation has become so dire for residents neighbouring the Pan, that the DA in Ekurhuleni launched an official complaint to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) on their behalf, following the inaction by the ANC and its coalition partners* in the City.”

The Express spoke to residents in Pikkewyn Avenue bordering on the natural water pan whose properties have been flooded (due to varying extents) by the rising water levels. They confirmed that they have been working with Lourenco to approach the SAHRC.

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She further explained that the water levels at the Pan have been increasing due to rising groundwater levels. This is then exacerbated by the lack of regular maintenance to existing infrastructure, built to alleviate the Pan’s levels, which result in residents having sewage that flood their gardens, porches and driveways.

“In response, the HOD for Roads and Stormwater, Sizwe Cele, claimed that the infrastructure, which includes stormwater pipes and a mechanical syphon system, do ‘not seem to work as well as anticipated’. While this may be the case, the flooding of the Pan is not solely due to the inherent nature of the infrastructure, but exacerbated by the lack of maintenance by the CoE,” Lourenco stated.

For the infrastructure to alleviate the Pan’s water levels, Lourenco explained that they need to be regularly unblocked and serviced.

“This is simply being neglected by the department and the residents are the ones who are suffering as a result. To add insult to injury, the City has shirked responsibility in assisting these residents by claiming that ‘addressing groundwater levels on individual properties remain a private matter to be resolved by the private landowner’.

“This flimsy response by the department is capped-off by them saying they need to consult with the original service providers to address the challenges faced by the existing infrastructure.

“In addition, they claim that they have requested funding to investigate, and hopefully, implement an improved inlet structure within the multi-year capital investment framework. Important to note, however, that this is just a request and lacks the approval required from the City, thereby lacking a sense of urgency over the crisis.”

She reported that the residents are beyond frustrated and at a point of desperation where the rising levels of the Pan are flooding their gardens and houses. “The possibility of them selling their properties is minimal, with values plunging as a result of the metro’s mismanagement of the Pan.

“The DA in Ekurhuleni rejects the department’s response with contempt. For years, residents’ requests have been completely ignored even after being escalated to the Mayor, Clr Mzwandile Masina, and the City Manager, Dr Imogen Mashazi.”

*Coalition Partners: African Independent Congress (AIC), Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), Patriotic Alliance (PA) and Independent Ratepayers Association of South Africa (IRASA)

Catching up with the residents
On May 20, Euclid Palmer, residing in Pikkewyn Avenue told Express: “The issues have not been resolved as yet. The municipality has been trying to unblock the sewage lines but there seems to be not much success in that regard.”

Palmer added that there has still been no action with the high water levels of the Pan. “Our yards are still flooded. We have referred this case to the human rights commission.”

On June 3, Palmer updated, saying: “Nothing has happened yet, they have just been trying to unblock the sewage line; they had to dig at number 29 to repair a broken pipe but the sewage and water problem has still not been resolved.”

According to Jabo Matsilele, also residing in Pikkewyn Avenue, some work was done last week but that the residents are unsure what is happening because the problem is with the Pan. “Water was drained from the church’s parking lot. Unfortunately, the following day the church was full of water again.

“What they are doing is just temporary and I believe they are just buying time with hopes that we will be quiet. As the community, we have enquired about solutions that will work and what solutions won’t work. We have advised the City on a possible permanent solution but no one is willing to listen.”

The city’s response
The City was approached to comment on a media enquiry that included Lourenco’s press release in which the Express requested feedback to the statements she and the DA had made.

Additionally, the motion of the community and DA approaching the SAHRC was also subject to the City’s reaction.

The media enquiry was sent on May 20, and no feedback has been received by the time of going to print.
• At the Express, we want to ensure consistent and quality feedback from the City in response to our media queries. To monitor this the Express has introduced a 5-star rating system. Once we relay our readers’ pressing questions to the CoE, we will be rating their response according to a 5-star scoring system allocated as follows:

Two stars will equate to all questions answered; two stars will equate to the relevancy of answers to questions posed, and the remaining star will be attributed to adherence to the deadline for comment.

This enquiry to the City has been rated with 0 stars.

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