The Ferreira Street community has decided to take it upon themselves to ensure their area was cleaned and made safe to reside in.
The community members recently raised the funds among themselves to clean up the area, cut down bushes and repair potholes, as they felt the City of Mbombela (CoM) was dragging its feet in meeting their demands.
One of the community members, Nabeel Meer, said the vlei in Ferreira Street was a den of criminal activity and the area was filthy, because the municipality was not doing enough to keep it clean.

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“The vlei was getting worse as people were robbed and the criminals hid there from security guards after they broke into houses. We tried on several occasions to get the municipality to clear it, but our requests fell on deaf ears, because the grass kept on growing, making it more dangerous to the community,” he said.

Meer also said potholes presented a problem to motorists and the streets around the El Madré centre were always littered with garbage. “The community decided to raise funds to clean and clear the vlei and the response was so positive, we decided to also patch some of the potholes and clean the streets regularly. While clearing the vlei, we found empty bags, syringes and some electrical appliances we believe were stolen,” he said.

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The community is currently raising more funds to install cameras to monitor the vlei and the surrounding residential areas. “The private security companies are doing a great job, but we believe the cameras will further assist in monitoring our area and stopping crime before it happens. The community is doing all this out of their own pockets, because they want a safe community for all the residents.”
Meer urged other communities to do the same if their municipalities are failing them. However, he warned, community members need to trust one another, especially where there is money involved.
The CoM’s spokesperson, Joseph Ngala, said the municipality welcomed the intervention of the private sector, since Government alone cannot mange.