Westbrook and Salt Rock residents become the solution to municipal ‘inefficiency’

Ordinary citizens are mobilizing to beautify their neighbourhoods as public indignation grows over service delivery delays and failing infrastructure.

Westbrook resident Careen Tait of the North Beach Road residents group said the neighbourhood had clubbed together to get the help of Ballito landscaper Bradley Jacob from Driefontein Landscapes to remove overgrowth from roadside verges and prune back trees that blocked drivers and pedestrians.

Tait said over lockdown all services had come to a standstill and that overgrown bushes obstructed sight lines, increasing the risk of accidents.

“The neglect created much unhappiness and negativity within our community, and the municipality has not been able to catch up and cut the bushes back to our satisfaction. We realized that they too have been under pressure as many of their staff have succumbed to the coronavirus.”

Tait said they decided to work together to become part of the solution.

“Instead of sitting in this negative energy the residents created their own reality by raising funds for the clean-up to be undertaken according to our standards – while taking the burden off the municipality. This has created a sense of unity within our community again.”

Similarly, in Salt Rock residents have been filling potholes and cleaning the beaches.

Resident Diederick Reid said they had decided to “become the solution”.

“Last year was not a productive year, especially not for our municipality. This year the same excuses of “Covid delays” are given to ratepayers for the horrendous potholes, street lights working all day, or not at all, rubbish not collected from beach bins, beach access stairs giving way – the list goes on.”

Reid said the community’s response was enthusiastic, first raising donations for a beach clean-up.

“A matric leaver has been employed to clean the beach from the Salt Rock Hotel all the way past 4-Poles. It is a small start to making a difference to our beautiful beaches.”

The robust community-led action continued as Salt Rock resident Darren Sykes of Sycor Construction filled the potholes at cost around Salt Rock (in particular Hugh Dent Drive) with Coastal Hire donating the equipment.

Reid and Mark Roylands met with the Umhlanga UIP to ask for advice.

Their message was simple: keep it politically neutral, effect civic engagement, take ownership and communicate and involve the municipality.

“We have made a start but this could become something far bigger if we all contribute,” said Reid.

Proposed future plans include repairing the beach access stairs, road maintenance, installing signboards on marine life at the beach stairs and providing bins for fishermen.

Fostering a sense of community ownership that is at the heart of long-lasting change is what Reid hopes to achieve.

“Living in a town where “things work,” beaches are clean and well run, roads are fixed, people feel safe, and a general feeling that this town gets things done – all of this can be done with very little effort and will only strengthen our community and make our town better.”

To get involved, and be part of the change or to make a donation, contact Diederick Reid at 082 612 5435.