Residents in Lyttelton are continuing to take ownership of their neighbourhood by clearing overgrown public spaces, improving visibility, and restoring pedestrian access. These efforts aim to make the suburb cleaner and safer for everyone.

According to Lyttelton Residents Association community development chairperson Anel du Preez, community members remain actively involved in maintaining areas that have become overgrown and hazardous. However, additional work is still needed in several locations.

Du Preez explained that recent efforts have focused on trimming trees, reopening sidewalks, and clearing dense vegetation that obstructed visibility for motorists and pedestrians.

“These improvements make a real and immediate difference to daily safety and accessibility,” she said.

Despite the progress, certain areas still need additional attention, she said. Du Preez noted that some volunteers are focusing on cleaning up Fleur Park this week as part of ongoing efforts to restore larger spaces in the area.

As part of these broader efforts, a clean-up operation took place on February 21, bringing together residents and civic organisations.

Du Preez told Rekord that 21 volunteers from AfriForum’s Centurion branch joined 10 community volunteers, including five children and herself, forming six teams in total.

“AfriForum supplied equipment, fuel, oil, replacement cord, tree-treatment materials, and hired two additional weed eaters to tackle heavily overgrown areas,” she explained.

The teams worked across Lyttelton Manor and Die Hoewes. They focused on key areas, including Zircon Street, the corner of Kruger Avenue and Trichardt Road, River Road near the Kruger Avenue traffic light, Botha Avenue bridge, and the railway line from Cantonments Road and Botha Avenue towards town.

Additional sites included Langebrink Road between Pretorius and Selborne avenues and the circle at Langebrink Road and Pretorius Avenue. These are among the many other roads that were attended to in the area.

At the Botha Avenue bridge, multiple trees were growing directly out of the structure, affecting cyclists and pedestrians.

These were chainsawed and treated to prevent regrowth, but Du Preez noted that substantial work is still required.

Other areas, such as Basden and Jasper avenues, have progressed beyond overgrown grass and now contain young trees that require heavier equipment to remove.

“We cut back as much as possible with the tools and time available, but additional work is still required,” she explained.

Cantonments Road presents a particularly complex challenge. She stated that parts of the area are being used for shelter and sanitation by homeless individuals.

“This is a sensitive matter, and I am engaging with management and councillors to find a sustainable way forward,” added Du Preez.

Among the immediate improvements were trimmed trees around Laerskool Louis Leipoldt that had obstructed visibility and affected the safe movement of learners, reopening the River Road sidewalk, and allowing for pedestrian access. Corners were also cleared where long grass had blocked motorists’ lines of sight.

She expressed gratitude to AfriForum volunteers, community members who donated their time, and donors who supported the initiative.

Branch chairperson André de Bruyn explained that the organisation does not limit itself to specific areas but responds to daily requests from residents throughout Centurion.

“This year alone, teams have worked in Wierda Park, Pierre van Ryneveld, Eldoraigne, Clubview, Die Hoewes, Lyttelton, and Valhalla,” De Bruyn said.

He noted that the focus is on making overgrown and wooded areas open and visible to reduce opportunities for crime.

“We go to work where there is crime, with the main goal of making areas open, clean, tidy, and safer for our residents,” he said.

De Bruyn added that the organisation does not wait for municipal intervention.

“Where there is a problem, we get in ourselves and do the work. All that is important to us is that house burglars and other thieves can be noticed by neighbourhood watch patrol members and the community long before they reach their destination.”

AfriForum is also working to build a five-person neighbourhood team equipped with a vehicle, trailer, and tools, supported by voluntary monthly community contributions.

The branch has grown steadily over the past six years and now employs 31 full-time workers. Monthly community action events typically draw 40 to 50 participants.

“We believe that a clean suburb is also a safe suburb,” De Bruyn said.

He added that the organisation aims to expand its work to include repairing potholes, fixing streetlights, addressing water and sewage leaks, and eventually tackling sinkholes and exploring solar farm initiatives if sufficient capacity is achieved.

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