Moot stream still drives residents up the wall
“The stream is not a learner driver course nor a road where one is supposed to learn how to drive.”
Learner drivers using the stream area in the Moot to practice for their lessons was one of the problems identified by residents.
The stream flows from the Apies River, through a big portion of the Moot.
According to resident Thea Opperman, the presence of learner drivers at the stream was becoming a problem for her and nearby residents.
“It is unacceptable to use this green area to learn how to drive,” she said.
“The stream is not a learner driver course nor a road where one is supposed to learn how to drive.”
She said that this was especially a problem as she felt that the stream area had “enough problems of its own”.
“This area already has many problems, including illegal dumping, squatting and quad biking,” she said.
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“Not only is the learner drivers in the stream area an unsightly sight, but it is also illegal. These fielded areas is not a designated driver course.”
She has sent several emails to the Tshwane metro without any results.
The overall state of the stream was also of concern.
Pretoria Moot CPF chairperson Elsabe van Staden said the state of the stream area was a big concern.
“Our CPF covers an area of 12.5sq/km and is home to about 7.3km of stream area that crisscrosses throughout the whole area,” she said.
“This used to be a safe area where residents relaxed and their children could play to their heart’s content. This is not the case anymore.”
Van Staden said that the stream areas had become dumping hotspots, refuse sorting areas and a place for squatters.
“People are dumping all sorts of rubbish, including medical waste in the stream area. The other day one of our CPF patrollers was even pricked by an injection needle,” she said.
“The spruit is also home to about 80 squatters.”
She said the stream area has become a refuge for criminals that “plague the Moot area”.
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“They hide in the undergrowth and cable thieves often use the area to hide away from the police or the CPF,” she said.
“These areas are also used as vantage points to watch people and see what their routines are.”
Pretoria Moot police spokesperson Captain Anton Breedt agreed that the stream area was a concern, especially in terms of fighting crime.
“It has become a place for vagrants and all sorts of crimes,” he said.
“Because of the state of the stream, we also struggle to follow criminals in there when they run away.
“The criminals know this, which is why they choose to run away there.”
Several clean-up operations have been launched by the Tshwane metro and other organisations at the stream, but the situation remains unchanged.
The Tshwane metro has not commented at the time of going to press.
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