Paddadam – Where to from here?

THE Paddadam Clean-up Project was started by Dominee Ferdinand van Niekerk of Vryheid’s Klipkerk, Abaqulusi Ward 9 Councillor, Bennie Hancke and around 100 residents.

A large amount of bottles, plastic bags and other rubbish was collected and taken to the dump site, mainly by Andre Rheder, with his bakkie and big trailer.

Despite the residents of Abaqulusi paying heavy rates to the Abaqulusi Local Municipality (ALM) for them to maintain our town’s infrastructure, including the parks, they have failed so far, to do this task to an acceptable standard.

A group including, among others, Bennie Hancke, Andre Rheder, Nico van Wyk, Pieter Colloty, Pieter de Wit, Johan Brecher and Gert Fray, noted that the dam itself was full of invasive reeds and the noxious Kariba weed. It was discussed how the dam could be cleaned and it was decided that the water needed to be drained before machines could be used to remove all the rubbish. Even though this was supposed to be done by the ALM, the community would start things moving and hope that the ALM would join us. In fact they have come to the party by installing a new access control gate and the Director of Community Services, Bongiwe Mnikathi, and the Parks Manager, Flip Oosthuizen have promised to do more.

The Abaqulusi Residents Association (ARA) unanimously decided at a committee meeting to support this worthy project and donated R10 000-00 to the cause. Other people have added just over another R5000-00 and the donations in kind are, up to now nearly R115 000-00. As Chairman of the ARA and being a retired construction man, Doug Grewar has donated his time for approximately the last 11 weeks, to coordinate and organize the project.

Pieter Colloty started the ball rolling by cutting a drain through the dam wall with his TLB, since which, work has progressed quite far. Pieter de Wit of Afrimat offered his tracked excavator for a day and it was utilised to dig a side drain along the full length of the dam. The project got a major boost when Claude Newberry promised to use his big machines for a week to clean up the dam. He also organized a donation of 3000 litres of diesel from Hugo Burger of Kenton Energy.

Unfortunately, Claude’s big Cat 966 front end loader was not the right machine for the job and soon got stuck, but he has promised to bring his dump truck if an excavator can be sourced.

Thanks to Minette Booysen’s arm twisting, Dirk Booysen came to the rescue with an excavator for four days this week.

“We did not need the dump trucks,” says Mr Grewar, “because we first have to excavate the mud into rows where it can dry before removing it. Dirk has promised to bring his excavator again next week.”

“So we have an excavator, dump trucks and fuel for them on standby,” he adds, “but we have run out of cash to pay the four casual workers that we need to move the heavy gum poles that the excavator moves on.”

“They cost R100-00 a day, plus food, so we need about R2500-00 to keep the project going for a week.”

Anyone looking to assist with donations can give them to Brigitte Alston, the ARA treasurer, who works at Sanlam, or to collection agents Keith Sparrow of Sparrow Computers, or Brian of Frames Unlimited.

Alternatively, donations can be made via EFT into the ARA bank account: ARA, Nedbank Vryheid, Branch code: 131126, Account number: 1311085661.

“Remember,” says Doug, “every little bit helps, so those pensioners who contribute R100-00 will be just as blessed as the rich who give R20 000.”

Once the dam is clean there is much more to do. The dam wall is in a state of collapse and needs repairing. Fortunately, civil engineers, like Dirk Booysen, who has assisted generously thus far, can give good advice on how to go about this task.

There is approximately 100 meters of stone pitching wall that has collapsed along the south shore and needs rebuilding. The culvert which was installed needs headwalls built. The toilet block needs rebuilding, preferably nearer to the gate. An access control office for the volunteer park managers (two or four pensioners) needs to be erected near the gate and the whole park needs to be securely fenced.

“It will be a long term project, so please step in and make some serious donations.” says Mr Grewar. “We need machines, manpower or the cash to hire them.”

A list of donors will be available to view at www.vryheidherald.co.za, highlighting the people and companies who have supported this community improvement project so far.