Erosion on the Jukskei
Properties are shrinking as water levels continue to rise.
Residents living next to the Jukskei river are losing metres of land due to soil erosion.
It has become so drastic that resident Bill Kelly, who lives on the border of the Randpark Golf Club, has lost three metres of his land due to a river bank collapsing.
He explained that various problems arose from storm water flowing down into the river, causing the water level to rise. “The biggest issue is erosion. Last year Jukskei river was flooded. It was so severe that the water level came up to my fence which I had to move back by three metres. Shortly after this the riverbank closest to my property collapsed.”
Randpark Golf Club management became aware of the problem after storms flooded half the holes on the prestigious Firethorn Course.
Marketing manager Tilani Edwards stated that a R20-million refurbishment project will be launched on 1 June 2014, which may assist in eliminating the erosion problem along the river. “The project will focus on upgrading the golf course and an important part of the course is the river that flows through it.
“We will spend R6 million to upgrade and widen the river,” Edwards explained. “We will also install additional gibbons around the banks to strengthen them. Drainage around the course will also receive an upgrade. The project will be completed over eight months and should be finished by March 2015. It is a positive project because residents in the area will benefit from it.”
Randburg Residents Association treasurer Neil Gove stressed the erosion problem is neither the residents’ nor the golf course’s fault and added that he was “grateful that the management at the golf course is going to upgrade the river and fix the riverbanks as many residents have lost parts of their land”.
Details: Randpark Golf Club 011 215 8600.
