Capital Park systems deteriorating
Over-densification and new developments in Capital Park are leading to numerous problems – including a serious sewage issue.
Sewage blockages, water leaks and exploding transformers underline Capital Park’s deteriorating infrastructure.
Chairperson of the Capital Park Residents and Ratepayers’ Association (Caprra) Mike Burt, said over-densification and new developments were putting strain on the neighbourhood’s already weak infrastructure.
“Tshwane [metro] is allowing new developments and buildings in Capital Park but we do not have the infrastructure to support it,” he said.
“Now we have sewage problems, water leaks and transformers that explode.”
Burt said sewage blockages on the corner of 6th and 7th avenues as well as a blockage in Flowers Street plagued the community.
“These blockages take up to two weeks to fix. Sewage blockages cause a definite health hazard for residents. It causes a stench and the sewage flows into storm water drains that then ends up in the Apies river.”
He said frequent water leaks in the neighbourhood were also due to the poor infrastructure in Capital Park.
“The water pressure in Capital Park is very low, so the metro pushes up the water pressure in the pipes. The pipes then burst and this causes major water leaks.”
Burt said these infrastructure problems became more prominent as the city continued to develop and sub-divide.
“The developments are putting demand on a system it was not designed for.”
He said the Caprra was not against all building in Capital Park.
“We are not against development but we want it to be done in an orderly, lawful way. If development continues, we need new and upgraded infrastructure.”
Burt said the outdated infrastructure could be blamed on a lack of maintenance.
DA ward councillor Elma Nel agreed, saying some infrastructure in the neighbourhood had not been upgraded for years.
“Instead of installing new water pipes, the old pipes are patched up to stop the leak temporarily. After a while, the neighbourhood is stuck with a water system that consists of broken and patched water pipes.”
Nel said patching the pipes only caused problems for the future.
“At the moment the Tshwane metro is reckless with development in the neighbourhood. There are many developments that do not reach my table. As a ward councillor I should be able to inform residents of new development plans.”
Nel said one example of this was a new development on the corner of Van Heerden and Paul Kruger streets.
“We only received an application to start the building process about three weeks ago. However, the building already started four months ago. Things like these don’t add up,” she said.
Burt said the Caprra shad drawn up a petition to voice its concern over new developments in Capital Park.
“We are aware of many more plans for development in our neighbourhood.”
He said residents were scared that Capital Park would become an inferior neighbourhood if something was not done soon to upgrade infrastructure.
“We have to stop this before it is too late. That is why we drew up the petition.”
Comment from the Tshwane metro could not be obtained immediately.
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