Craig Harrison, Democratic Alliance councillor for Ward 7, told the Herald that he is unhappy about the changes that were supposed to be put in place at the Randfontein Bird Sanctuary, because they have not been done.
Harrison said, “We had a council meeting on 22 November last year. The list of things to be done was given to us by the officials of council and we as councillors agreed to these requests to make the Bird Sanctuary safer. All agreed to this and said it would be done by 20 December 2017.”
Harrison showed the Herald the list that was given to the municipality.
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A few things have been done, but four months later, there are still six important things that they failed to do, as follows:
• Three fire hydrants were supposed to be installed.
• Procuring a herbicide will kill the reeds, which will serve as a fire break
• A fire break was supposed to be made along the deck.
• A developed and approved emergency plan should have been in place.
• A developed and approved site management plan should have also been in place.
• The risk factors at the Bird Sanctuary should have been evaluated, and remedial measures implemented.
He also suggested that it’s time that the West Rand District Municipality helps with the fire breaks. “Winter is approaching and that means possible fires at our beautiful Bird Sanctuary again,” Harrison said.
Harrison is submitting a letter to Mzi Khumalo, the Executive Mayor of the Rand West Local City Municipality, and the matter will be brought up at the next council meeting, but Harrison wants answers … now.
The Herald is awaiting comment from the municipality.
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