RESIDENTS of Ward 34 say they are at their wits’ end with the eThekwini Municipality’s lack of action over the repairs of the Firwood Road municipal pool.

The municipal pool, which was closed in July 2017, has now been empty for the last seven years, with the infrastructure around the pool crumbling and falling apart.

When Northglen News visited the site, the deep end of the pool was covered in algae and dirt while the stands around the pool as well as the boundary walls were in a state of disrepair.

There are several sections of concrete around the pool that were dug up and now covered in grass.

The pool was closed seven years ago ostensibly due to an underground water leak which is thought to have affected residents’ homes on Falkirk Avenue.

Meanwhile the City has admitted there is no budget to commence with repairs and a revamp of the municipal pool, which is one of a handful of Olympic size pools in eThekwini.

“The limitation on the City’s capital funding is the reason that the project to revamp the swimming pool has not commenced. At this stage, the City is unable to allocate budget in the current financial year and will budget for this pool in the next budget cycle. Other operational swimming pools within the area that residents can utilise as an alternative are in Ntuzuma, KwaMashu G-Section and Durban North,” said City spokesperson Gugu Sisilana.

Ward 34 councillor Andrew Akkers has urged the eThekwini Municipality to provide answers as to when the Firwood Road municipal pool will reopen.

“Every year we get the same story and repairs or work to reinstate the pool never seems to come. While there is an operational pool on Rochdale Road in Sea Cow Lake there is nothing in our area. Firwood Road Municipal Pool has been closed and ‘under repair’ since 2017. Many of our youth (as young as six years old) must walk for up to an hour and nearly 4km from Effingham, Avoca and Greenwood Park to enjoy the amenities at Durban North Municipal Pool. A few years ago the City said there was an estimated cost of R9 million to repair the pool but that figure is surely out of sight. That figure will now balloon with each year that passes.”

Michelle Williams, a resident of 60 years in the area and someone heavily involved in promoting swimming, said she is heartbroken over the state of the pool.

“I learnt to swim at Firwood Road pool and it pains me to see it sink further and further into disrepair. Other areas have working pools while this area continues to suffer with no action taken. I take the group of children I work with and drive them to other pools in Durban North, the beachfront and Westville. But there are hundreds of other disadvantaged children who have to walk to go for a swim,” she said.

Ward 34 committee member Pastor Khulekani Dlamini echoed their sentiments.

“If action was taken when the leak was detected and maintenance was carried out as it should have been this pool would not look like it is today. There is a security guard and staff on site but we’ve seen no concrete action over the pool. As much as we have a pool on Rochdale Road, this pool should be a priority for the City,” he said.

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